What It Maybe Like
by Dark Closure
Summary: The Host Club gain a new interest when they find a person in a remote town that look identical to the Twins. But can they handle triplets instead of just twins?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This fic is based off of the law of three. Where it is theorized that everything must exist in sets of three in order to exist.

And remember that "Half" is a japanese reference for someone who is only half japanese.

-------

What It Maybe Like

Chapter 1

Tamaki was enjoying himself. The twins were off on some family vacation, Kyouya was home with his clipboard and papers, Mori shadowed Honey as they went to a privet resort and Haruhi was on speed dial. Though he did get yelled at for calling her every time he discovered something new in the little down. It was several days ago that he decided he would "rough it" and took a taxi to a quiet little place at the base of one of Japan's majestic mountains. He found a nice hotel and got one of the best rooms and struck up conversations with the old desk clerk each morning and afternoon hearing stories of how the man used to be in wars, an adventurer, and how he saved a princess twice. The blond's favorite story of the past was when the old man saved the world from aliens that used yeti soldiers and he had nothing but a trusty pocket knife and an old nag. He couldn't get enough of the story and even bought a recorder and started to record their little chats, which took up to three tapes in one sitting, that was before they would have tea or coffee.

But now he was taking a relaxing stroll down the little streets, a backpack slung over his shoulder already filling with souvenirs for his friends, but mostly for Haruhi and her father. Taking off his sunglasses in favor to see the full colors of the evening dusk, he greeted people by name when he could remember them. He was quickly becoming one of the town's favorite and the small amount of people reminded him of the places in France...

"Aa, Tamaki!" the over enthusiastic fish market man waved at him, "How are you doing today?"

The Half turned from his little path to come up to the man behind the display counter, "Everything is just as relaxing and refreshing as yesterday. How are you today Yamanaka-san?"

"Good, good, you going to by a fish for old man Mutoh today?"

"As usual, but I was thinking I would take a walk before it gets too dark."

"A walk huh? You should head south west, some lovely hiking trails can be found around there."

"Aa, thank yo-"

"Yamanaka-san."

Tamaki's body froze. That voice... Kaoru. No, he couldn't deal with the twins with out "kaa-san", Kyouya was the only one who could really control the two little devils. Sure, His Highness was persistent but he had learned that was something they could harness for their own malicious intent.

He took a breath and turned around on his heel, he'll just deal with them like he usually did and maybe he could see if he could get some fun out of it. "Kaoru, what a coincidence meeting you here," he beamed with his arms wide, just glad that it was only the reasonable twin that was there. Hikaru could get out of hand real easily, but if it was just Kaoru then...

He liked spending time with Kaoru on the rare occasion that the twins separate. "When did you get here?"

"Uh... just now."

Blue eyes shimmered, "HoHoo? Then let me show you around and introduce you to people. It seems you already know Yamanaka-san, the best fish market salesman in all of Japan."

"Aa, Tamaki-san..." Yamanaka held up his hand and tried to interject only to find it was too late, the rich boy had drug off his friend in a cloud of chatter about this and that.

-  
Five hours later and in the dead of night --------

"And this is Youkoto's place, she's the best baker I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. If it wasn't so late then we could have tried some of her black berry turnovers with cream cheese... maybe in the morning. Aa, I'm hungry, how about you Kaoru? You've been rather silent, awestruck by the beauty of the common folk no doubt. I understand, I was that way myself when I first came here. OH! You must meet Mutoh-san, he's a hero you know... Kaoru? Kaoru where did you go?"

He gave sort of a mix between a shout and yelp when he saw his companion down the street helping someone with stacking boxes and crates in the back of a shop. He quickly jogged up and found that there was an old woman standing next to Kaoru directing where he should place things. He was smiling and holding a mild conversation with her giving small jokes here and there. Tamaki slowed his pace and stood there, watching his friend. Kaoru... really was a gentle person wasn't he?

Just then his cell phone rang, the ring tone that said that it was Hikaru. With an odd frown he took out his phone. Why would Hikaru be calling him when his twin would naturally be the first person to contact?

Flipping open the phone he closed his eyes as he braced himself for a distraught older twin, they must have been fighting or something. "Hello?"

"Tono, we're bored," Kaoru's voice came over the line. "Where are you so we can come hang out. Haruhi and the rest said they want to come too."

Blue eyes opened and then narrowed a little with a raised eyebrow, "Kaoru?"

"Yeah?"

Tamaki looked at the person still helping the old lady and smirked, "Hikaru, you need to think of a better prank to play when you're not with Kaoru. Now if you want to talk to Daddy to figure out how to smooth things out between your brother and yourself all you have to do is ask."

"Tono, are you feeling okay?"

"Still not giving up the ghost? I see, I see, you're so worried about your brother that you just can't help yourself. Alright then, we're in Otaru city. See you soon. And don't worry I'll put in a good word for you." He hung up and watched Kaoru with fatherly fondness. "So... even the mighty Hitachiin twins can have fights..." he thought to himself in a whisper.

"Hey, Kaoru- let me help you with those."

--------

Across the world at a beautiful sandy beach identical twins stood side by side staring at a cell phone in hand.

"You think Tono lost it?"

"He never had it."

To Be Continued... 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: This fic is based off of the law of three. Where it is theorized that everything must exist in sets of three in order to exist. 

PS: These three elements are also theorized to be attracted to each other with out question.

And remember that "Half" is a japanese reference for someone who is only half japanese.

-------

What It Maybe Like

Chapter 2

There are just some people who you meet and something clicks. You can talk freely to them, you don't mind if they touch you with clinging hands and most of all; It's as if you've known them all your life. These people becomes special in the fact that they are not family, but they become something much more. You don't know if you should love them one way or another. It's an experience that you instinctively treasure and never question. The feeling you get from them makes it seem that it's okay to shout out that you're alive. And if you could truly love them, love them as deeply as you possibly could, what would the world be like? This was a question that Kaoru had found himself asking himself one day several days after his first encounter with someone that would turn things around for him and his twin.

-  
a week ago --------

"Kaoru, I'm hungry," Hikaru voiced for the both of them as they walked down the streets of Otaru city.

The younger of the brothers smiled, reaching back and taking the hand of his twin, "Then lets find a place to eat at."

It didn't take them long to find a simple restaurant. Telling the host-clerk that there would be only two of them the woman quickly grabbed two menus and quickly started to escort her customers to their table. That was when it happened, right when they passed the kitchen. Something... clicked. The two stopped in mid-stride, identical eyes watching the door that the waiters came in and out of. They didn't have to ask, they knew each other could feel it. Something was in there, something special...

"Sirs?" the host-clerk gained their attention back and showed them to their seats.

Inside the waiter's door was someone who had haulted, they couldn't move from their spot in front of the musty window that lead out to the dinning floor.

"Hey! You gonna take those out? That's your last order, I thought you wanted to go home."

Snapping out of it the person smiled at the head chief, "I think I have one more order to take."

It wasn't what you would expect. Usually you would wait for the waiter to come, hum and hah over what you want until they leave and do it three more times just to get them exasperated then finally give him your order. But the usual seemed to fly out the window soon as a third person came into their world. They didn't penetrate and encroach like Haruhi, slowly working her way closer to their hearts with out knowing it. No, this person suddenly appeared like forgotten snow. They were just there one day, but it felt like they had always been.

Hikaru and Kaoru where silent as plates were settled down in front of them. Food hot and steaming with thrust quenching juices fancied up with well sculpted glasses, umbrellas and straws. The waiter's eyes were just like theirs, beautifully cat like and hazel. His hair was parted down the middle as if he was meant to in the middle of the twins. His smile was bright and full of knowledge that they missed but his body lacked their elegant flair. His fingers and hands smaller than theirs, shoulders narrower but was the same height. And when he spoke, his voice was a higher octave than Kaoru's.

"Nice hair."

Kaoru was first to go, his shoulders started to quiver as he covered his mouth trying hard not to laugh. Hikaru followed soon after, placing his hands over his stomach letting the laughter full out. And that was how it started. It seemed only natural to invite him to sit with them. Pulling up an extra chair they just launched into talking about everything they could think of not remembering to even introduce each other's names. The twins ate what was served to them, finding it was quite to their liking and when they were ready to go they grabbed their new friend's wrists and towed him off before he could clock out.

Right about when the three of them met was when Tamaki got a chill, not just him but everyone of the Host Club. It was like a thrid piece was just added to make something complete... completely evil.

"Did you... did you feel that?" Tamaki whispered to the rest of his friends who were getting room keys from old man Mutoh.

"Like the dawn of a dark age was just birthed, granting pain and suffering to all who cross its path?" the old man asked while stroking his beard.

The Half nodded slowly, sweat trickling down the back of his neck.

"Nope, didn't feel a thing. Hey, did you and your friends want to come over for dinner tonight, Noboru's cooking."

"Noboru?" Haruhi blinked widely, the name sounded suspiciously like it belonged to a Hitachiin.

"Yep, ...he, yeah he, he's my adoptive grandson."

Kyouya adjusted his glasses, eyes narrowing something twisting and turning into something that only Kyouya knew.

-------------

"So where are you guys staying?" the Hitachiins' new friend asked as they took a breather, sitting on one of the thick walls that were apart of many of the water channels that ran through the city.

"Actually we have a private house that's about a half hour away," Hikaru kicked his feet. He didn't like the idea of parting with their new triplet so soon, it was already getting dusk.

"We were thinking about inviting a friend to stay with us but she'll most likely turn us down," Kaoru smiled. Haruhi was pretty predictable now that they have been friends for a few years, but she still was interesting. "Would you like to come over?"

"Sounds like fun, but... grandpa..."

Hikaru hoped down from his perch, raised a hand pointing only one finger with a stern look as if to make a good argument when all of the sudden a woman started to shout. The kind of shout he and his little brother new all to well... a fangirl. But it wasn't one of their names that was screamed through the heavens it was someone named, "NOBORU!"

Everything slowed. Their triplet started to jump off of the stone wall next to Kaoru, his expression blank as he started to run, then he was caught and time sped up to them.

There was some local girl clinging onto him as he tried desperately to pry her off. Her squeals practically shattering his cornea. "Noboru! Did you miss me? Aa, I know you did, you're sweet like that. I got you some nice souvenirs from my vacation we went to America and I'm so glad to be back home. Let's go on a date so I can tell you everything about it."

"Let go Hanako, I'm not going to date you! Let go before I-"

The surprisingly thin brunet just snuggled his cheek, "Before what?"

A scream then tore out of his throat as his eyes rolled back into this head. Yes, a man had just fainted.

--------

The door to the hotel lobby was thrown open. Two frantic twins darted in carrying and unconscious look-a-like like a heavy cat.

"Tono!" the shouted at the same time, "Noboru fainted and we can't wake him!"

A second man fainted that night but from shock that there were three faces of what was once only two devils.

To Be Continued... 


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: This fic is based off of the law of three. Where it is theorized that everything must exist in sets of three in order to exist. 

PS: These three elements are also theorized to be attracted to each other with out question.

And remember that "Half" is a japanese reference for someone who is only half japanese.

-------

What It Maybe Like

Chapter 3

Hands, they held him down, too many hands. Pain ripped through him as they laughed, lights in the dead of night blinding him and the only thing he could focus on trying not to scream.

"Those eyes..." the voice of someone he could see whispered with sickeningly thick breath laced with sugar and spite. "Such pretty eyes."

Noboru jerked awake, eyes snapping open as deep breaths came in fast and quick, sweat trickling down his face and chest. Looking around he found himself in his simple room colored with the rich golds and reds of the sunset. Finally able to catch his breath he sat up, hand covering the lower part of his hip and abs when a shock of pain bolted through him. Hand over his sore spot as if holding would sooth everything away, he kicked and pulled his covers off of his body.

"That dream again," he sighed now used to the nightmare. With another sigh he got up with closed eyes, "It's about time I started dinner."

Soon as he got to his bedroom door he was smacked with the object as it was thrown open.

"Noboru?" Hikaru's voice came from the other side of the door, "Kaoru I don't see him."

"Hikaru, he might have just gone one a walk, we were gone for a while."

"That's not the case," Noboru's grandfather's voice was serious. "Noboru's phobia of women makes him prone to carelessness. He doesn't think and will walk right into dangerous situations."

"W-we gotta go find him!" the two panicked.

"Nah, I just hit him with the door," Mutoh moved the door to show their triplet holding his face.

-  
An icepack later --------

The strawberry blond was found sitting at a small table with Tamaki as his identical twins were in the kitchen doing god knows what. By the sound of it and the odd smells that were emanating from the room it would seem he would have to clean a lot once they were done. But if they wanted to try their hand at, whatever the hell they wanted to do, he'd let them.

"So you were the one that I as with last night," Tamaki looked at the person with an icepack on his face. "Why didn't you correct me when I mistook you for Kaoru?"

"You seemed to be having fun playing tour guide, I didn't want to ruin it for you. You were really into it."

The blond's face turned a small shade of pink from embarrassment, sometimes he just got carried away, well more like all the time but when people point it out is the only time he could really see it. It fell silent as the redhead leaned back with the icepack resting on his forehead, eyes, and nose. Blue eyes watched the boy's body tense up each time there was a crashing sound coming from the kitchen. He leaned forward on the table, arms folding under his chin.

"So... you're afraid of women?"

He had been trying to understand this concept of being afraid of something so small and fragile. Women where sweet and tender, sure you come across someone that was a bit rotten but he found it to be few and far between. Soon as he woke up he was told about this un-controllable fear. How Noboru actually will freeze up if a woman touches him, how he used to scream and cry and lock himself in his room for days on end with the only his shadow to keep him company, curled up in the corner staring at nothing. It reminded him of Haruhi who hid from the crashing sounds of thunder.

A bitter smile came across the redhead's face, "Ever since I can remember."

"Ever since childhood? Why would-"

"Eh?" Noboru sat up straight, taking the ice pack off of his face showing that he was feeling better. "I thought grandpa would have told you about that if he told you about my phobia."

At that time the Hitachiins came in holding a few trays of steaming food that looked of questionable origins. As they set down the trays on the table in the middle they heard what he had to say next. Looking at him not knowing what to think.

"Grandpa found me on the streets with amnesia. He had to take me to the hospital and because I threw such a fit over a nurse just coming into the room I had to have an all male staff my whole stay." The young man stood up, taking his ice pack into the kitchen and returning with some plates.

"How long has it been?" Hikaru blurted out.

Noboru looked as if this was a typical conversation for him, "Nearly seven years."

"So... how old are you?" Tamaki tried to be as pleasant as the other.

"No clue, we guess I'm somewhere in my twenties."

"How can you be so sure about that? You don't look a day older than us," Hikaru lifted an eyebrow.

Those hazel eyes that looked as cat-like as theirs grew dark as their friend looked to the side, a hand held the throbbing scar hidden under the hem of his shorts. "Well that's..."

"What the hell are we doing just standing around?!" Mutoh hit his grandson with a paper fan with enough force him to stumble into the twins, plates flying as the three trying to catch each other. "The food looks... questionably good and you've got a mess to clean up, stop chitter-chattering and get moving!"

-  
later that night -------

"Where do you think you're from?" Kaoru asked sitting on his lush bed that he shared with Hikaru.

Noboru was next to him, his head in Kaoru's lap as Hikaru managed to drape over the two of them. It felt nice to be together, just being around each other with out anyone else to interrupt them was like drinking a sweet nectar. It was a time and place that set a tranquility deep inside.

"Not sure, but I know English real well."

"How well?" Hikaru was messing with Noboru's hair finding that it wasn't as soft as his brother's nor his, it showed damage from being dyed constantly.

"Enough to be fluent in slang apparently."

"Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Kaoru adjusted himself so that all three where lying down nestled in each other's arms.

"I..." Noboru buried his face into the soft sheets, trying not to sleep. He was so tired, pain always wiped him out and at the moment his scar was killing him, "I didn't want you to think lesser of me."

"You're so cute," they voiced together holding Noboru tightly earning nothing more than the soft sounds of sleep. The two smiled as they pulled the blankets over the three of them and snuggling down with whispered goodnights.

----------

"Look at them!!"

It hurt, the fist in his hair pulled and squeezed to the point he could feel his scalp tear. Red trickled as his head was thrust at a large stone, smoothed down and glistening with words scribed upon its surface. His forehead smacked hard before that painful hand ripped his head back to have a hand smack across his face.

Noboru's eyes snapped open, his breathing was heavy, sweat sticking his clothes to his body. Untangling himself from slumbering twins he managed to roll over onto his belly. The familiar position giving him some peace at mind, he wasn't exposed when he was face down. Everything was protected, no one could get him when he was like this. He winced from his scar being brushed the wrong way between his pajama pants and the sheets.

"Are you okay?" Kaoru's hauntingly familiar voice whispered as to not wake his sleeping brother.

"Yeah, just a nightmare," Noboru smiled, his body shivering from the feeling the bad dream left in its wake.

A tender hand was stroking through his hair, so gentle and caring. His eyes started to drift shut once more, the moonlit room giving Kaoru a silver glow to his soft features.

"There's nothing to be scared of here," he pulled his look-a-like closer, his back being pressed against the Hitachiin's chest. "There are no servants here, we sent them home yesterday while you were sleeping so that it's only the three of us. Just the three of us."

Kaoru's face rested in the crook of Noboru's neck as Hikaru woke from the lack of warmth. He sleepily moved forward wrapping his arms around the two before him grumbling, "No hogging."

"But Hikaru, you know I can't bare to share," his twin adjusted his arms to wrap around Hikaru as well. "You two are just too perfect to share."

Noboru snorted a laugh before pulling his hands up to cover his mouth, his face red. He's never snorted while laughing before, how embarrassing, and with the two faces staring at him... yeah, it was embarrassing. But all the Hitachiins did was grin wildly and snicker.

To Be Continued... 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: This fic is based off of the law of three. Where it is theorized that everything must exist in sets of three in order to exist. 

PS: These three elements are also theorized to be attracted to each other with out question.

And remember that "Half" is a japanese reference for someone who is only half japanese.

-------

What It Maybe Like

Chapter 4

Haruhi adjusted the apron to her uniform. It's been about a week now since they've come. Everyone in the Host Club seem to be having a relaxing time. Kyouya silently hung out with Tamaki who was nothing but endless chatter. Honey frequented Youkoto's bakery and Mori made sure he brushed his teeth and she was drug either this way or that. But what she really enjoyed was how Hikaru and Kaoru were doing anything they could possibly think of with their new friend. They laughed more and Hikaru didn't look as devilish and Kaoru... well he was Kaoru so it was hard to see him any other way. But since they've been staying so long she didn't feel right just letting her friends pay for her hotel bill, even if Tamaki was way over admit on treating her to everything and anything she could possibly show a liking towards. So she tried talking to old man Mutoh into letting her work for her room and board but she got no where when he just launched into some story about how he was dodging some deadly assassin's bullets as an example to how she felt. Of course her blond senpai was ready with a tape recorder and big bright eyes of gullible admiration, but... that was one of the things she liked about him, though she would never admit to it. She was thankful that it was about then that Noboru showed up with the Hitachiins, and even though he trembled a little when he stood up close to her (five feet away, close) he still had a pleasant smile and struck up a conversation as Kaoru and Hikaru ran into his room with grins that only could mean trouble.

"If you just want to work off a tab then you can take my place at the dinner for this week. I can put in a good word for you."

"But don't you need the money? You help support your grandfather and all..."

"Actually I've got another job to attend to," he scratched his cheek, his fearful shivers calming a little. "And around this time the dinner becomes short handed, so I'm sure they'll appreciate the work."

"Noboru You'll be late for your dance lessons," Mutoh ran up with a slinky red dress in hand.

"Get that away from me! Put it on her!" He shouted pointing at Haruhi.

"Haru-chan would look cute in that," Honey's pink flowers nearly blind-sided everyone, Mori only nodded with a grunt.

"She would attract customers wearing something as... unique as that," Kyouya smiled behind his glasses just knowing it would throw Tamaki into a fit. He was so easy to pick on.

And on cue the blond leapt up and grab the small piece of fabric, "NO! Tou-san will not allow this to be placed on his little girl!!!"

"It's just a dress," Haruhi rolled her eyes.

"It's a belt with spaghetti strings!!"

"She's scrawny enough for it to look like a normal dress," Noboru rubbed the back of his head.

Mutoh grabbed the dress from Tamaki and held it up against his grandson's chest, "This isn't a dress for anyone else but my boy. Hoora, isn't it adorable on him?"

"Way cute!!" Two thumbs darted up from smirking twins.

Noboru's typical neutral and rather lazy expression didn't change as he promptly grabbed the dress. He continued to rip off his grandfather's clothing until there was nothing but his large boxers and stuffed him in the dress. There was a moment of silence before the old man struck a "sexy" pose, "Iya Why are you all staring at me," he said in a make-shift woman's voice and blew the group a kiss. There was a flash from a camera and his expression turned dark. "No. young man watched as the Polaroid developed holding the picture and camera out of his grandfather's grasp as the man jumped up and down, "Just getting you back for that teddy bear thing."

"You're so mean Noboru It's not fair, not fair!!"

Haruhi shuddered at the memory, she'll never look at old men the same way ever again. Then again it felt like home with how he just rolled with it, she kind of missed her dad.

"So you're name is Haruhi?" The head chef was out back taking smoke break while she took out some empty creates, "How long have you known Noboru?"

"A few days."

"Aa," the burly man got up from the place he was sitting and put out his cigarette. "Just a heads up, but if anyone comes around asking for him tell them to leave, if they don't tell someone right away."

She blinked at the door the man just disappeared behind. Did... Noboru have a restraining order against someone?

---------------

Punch, jab, duck, weave, strike at the ribs. Miss. Jump back, crouch, make sure arms were up to block anything coming towards the face. Parry shin with shin, snap foot under ankle, trip. Get thrown across room, stop for breather.

"Why," Kaoru panted laying on his back, man his body ached, "Why am I doing this again?"

A tall man with brown hair and blue eyes towered over the redhead. His Russian accent thick in his speech, "Because Noboru is next door learning new moves for the festival, you've got potential and I'm bored."

"But I've never fought a day in my life. Why would I need to learn something like this?"

The large man sat down to his new/unwilling pupil, "Because Noboru likes you."

Kaoru's face reddened a little, thankful that his face was already flushed. "He likes Hikaru as well... Why aren't you teaching him?"

"Noboru needs a dancing partner," the man's face turned red as he reminisced of years passed. "No-chan's so cute in a dress and is so elegant in his dancing but no one has been able to be graceful enough to be a good partner, but NOW!" He flexed his muscles, "After your brother has his audition I'll try my hand at being No-chan's partner and this year I'll win! HAHAHAHAA! Ah... Kaoru-chan?"

Too late, he was long gone, the sounds of his bare feet smacking against the wooden floor disappearing in the distance.

Two doors slammed open. Kaoru's eyes fell upon a partially dressed Noboru laying on the dance floor, one leg wrapped around Hikaru's waist as he laid over him. In Hikaru's hand was the straps of a soft pink dress and his other placed on the pant leg of the one underneath him.

"Er... Kaoru, this is not what you think... um..." Hikaru was panicking now. He was just having some fun with Noboru when... Yeah, how the heck do you explain something like this? He was forcing the dress on their friend because he refused and told Hikaru to wear it and there was NO way that he was going to be the girl.

Noboru's bottom lip started to quiver, tears softening his eyes. He turned his face away, "Kaoru... please don't be angry, Hikaru just couldn't help himself."

"How cruel of you Hikaru!" Kaoru's eyes watered up, "Even after you said I would be the only one!"

"Kaoru!" Hikaru got up and ran to his brother wrapping his arms around him, "No, don't think such things, you're still special to me. I'd never break my promise, believe me Kaoru."

"Hikaru."

"Kaoru."

"I see..." The two looked over to their look-a-like on the ground, trying to pull the small straps of the dress to cover what little they could of his shoulder, "There will... never be enough room for me..."

"Noboru!" The two shouted hurrying over and pulling him up into their arms.

"Don't think such things," Kaoru pulled Noboru's back against his chest.

"You're just as special to me as Kaoru is," Hikaru cupped Noboru's face and fully trapped his body between the twins'.

"And to me as Hikaru is, but he promised I get to be the first one to dress you up all cute."

"Then it seems I have no choice but let you put me in the dress."

Hearts flouted around them as the dance instructor suddenly appeared in all of his Spanish glory. "I have suddenly had," he snapped his feet against the floor a few times bringing his hands up in flamingo dance pose. "a great idea! We shall have a trio tango for the festival! It shall be a big hit! You like? I knew you would, let us start getting into costumes to practice immediately!!"

Out side the room a martial arts instructor sat outside the door picking at the floor, "Che... I wanted to be No-chan's partner this year..."

To Be Continued... 


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: This fic is based off of the law of three. Where it is theorized that everything must exist in sets of three in order to exist. 

PS: These three elements are also theorized to be attracted to each other with out question.

And remember that "Half" is a japanese reference for someone who is only half japanese.

-------

What It Maybe Like

Chapter 5

"You sure?" Hikaru tugged at Noboru's hand as the adult sat on the stairs that led up to the dance hall's main doors while Kaoru held his brother's hand giving the same puppy-dog expression.

"I already promised Grandpa that we'd go out, just the two of us, besides didn't you promise your friends that you'd do something with them as well?"

The eldest twin's lower lip stuck out in a pouting expression, "Yeah but... we always hang out with them..."

Noboru laughed, "Yeah but unlike them we get to practice more tonight, besides you even made your cooks go home so I have no choice but to cook for you."

Hikaru grumbled under his breath as Kaoru silently chuckled. They had just finished with their dance lessons and his twin seemed to have a little too much fun with his hands all over his identical triplets and is having issues letting go. He didn't blame him, moving so closely together so sensually was... He felt the heat raise in his cheeks, it was hard to suppress the images of flushed faces and mingling bodies out of his mind. He licked his suddenly dry lips, it's not going to be easy sleeping in the same bed tonight.

"Kaoru? You okay?" Noboru and Hikaru spoke at the same time.

"I'm fine." It wasn't a lie, he was fine, just having naughty thoughts. Nothing wrong with that. "Look it's Haruhi and Tono, we should get going Hikaru."

"Okay, see you in a few hours Noboru," he waved as he descended the stairs.

"Hikaru, wait for m-" 

Warm arms wrapped around the younger Hitachiin's chest pulling him back into an embrace. His cheeks turned a deep red as Noboru whispered, "It was nice dancing with you." He had to suppress the sounds that wanted to rip through his throat when a hot tongue gave a quick stroke under his jaw. He was suddenly let go and stumbled down a few steps, Noboru holding his arm so he wouldn't fall. Kaoru looked at his look-a-like too see a devilish smirk on his face that the Hitachiins were famous for and his face flared from the statement that came next, "Tell Hikaru the same for me, will you?"

He deftly nodded and managed his way down the stairs by himself and found his way to his brother, who gave him a raised brow. That was before Kaoru cupped his mouth around Hikaru's ear and suddenly Hikaru was his mirror image in redness. The two looked at Noboru as their friends started to meander off. He waved at them as they smiled getting over their flushed faces, quickly catching up with the rest of the Host Club.

-----------

Noboru looked at his watch, it was... getting late. He frowned as he swung his gym bag around out of boredom. Mutoh was rarely late, but when he was, there was always a good reason for it. Speeding tickets seemed to be the biggest thing though, he was a speed-demon, never could get enough of anything that had "fast" attached to it. That included fast food.

"Excuse me," a voice spoke up.

He froze, damn, just what he needed, a woman. Stopping in his self entertainment with his bag he turned to find a woman who was in her thirties. Her hair was up in twists and curls, glasses perched upon her nose, dressed in an evening gown of simple blues and blacks. The slit in her skirt showed her floral lace like stockings and black high-heels.

"Y-yes?" he eyed her finding something... oddly familiar, but he was sure he had never seen her before.

"Are you Noboru Mutoh?"

He frowned. His grandfather told him that one day someone would come around looking for him, but never told him why and only to reply as if he wasn't who he was.

"What do you want with Noboru?"

The woman wasn't moving, just standing their with a stance that told that she had power and knew how to use it. What type of power though... he really didn't want to find out.

"My, it seems that he's a hard to find guy. Could you deliver a message to him for me?"

He nodded slowly.

"At least someone in this town cooperates," she snorted with her honey voice.

"What... do you mean?"

"Never mind that, please tell Noboru my exact words; 'Be careful of those who are around you.'" She adjusted her glasses as she turned and started to walk away, "Thank you young man."

"Wait! What do you mean by that?!" He shouted running after her as she disappeared around a corner only to find that she wasn't there. There was suddenly a hard lump in his throat. The message was ominious, frightening. What did she mean by "be careful"? What kind of trouble could... He dropped his gym bag, "Grandpa." With in a breath's time he was running as fast as he could to the inn.

------------

Kaoru fidgeted next to his just as squirmy brother. Something was wrong, he was anxious, and not in a good way. The movie they were in was almost over but he felt as if whatever matter beckoned couldn't wait.

"Kaoru," Hikaru leaned over and whispered to his brother, "I'm going to go stretch my legs."

"Hold up, I'll go with you."

Haruhi spotted them starting to get up, "You guys okay?"

"Just a little cramped, nothing to worry about Haruhi," Kaoru reassured their friend as they shuffled out into the walk-way.

With a quick pace they left the theater into the fresh air. There was no pause to exchange words, it was un-needed, they knew that the uneasiness was starting to thicken and coil. They looked at each other, uncertain worry apparent. Hikaru grabbed Kaoru's hand, his grip tight and shaking as he turned to the man who was running the ticket booth.

"HEY! How long does it take for a taxi to get here?" he nearly barked.

"Only five minutes," the man blinked as Kaoru was already dialing for a service.

-----------

A little cramped, that was bothering Haruhi. Hitachiins don't get cramped, they get bored and traumatize people, not cramped. Besides this was a movie they wanted to see. She frowned getting up from her seat, telling her schoolmates that she was going to check up on the twins. There was a sneaking suspicion that what Kaoru told her was a blatant lie. Okay, so maybe not a "sneaking" suspicion but more like a blunt object getting you in the back of the head suspicion, that is; if you knew the twins like she did. When she got outside they were getting into a taxi, jogging up she called out to them. They were already inside about to shut the door when they caught sight of her. Kaoru opened his mouth only to have Hikaru's voice to cut him off, "Kaoru, we don't have the time."

The younger of the two nodded slamming the door with a quick, "We're checking up on Noboru! We'll be right back."

As the taxi sped off Haruhi blinked then turned around. With hurried steps she made her way back inside, her instincts telling her that it would be best to tell someone about this.

--------

The lights were off at the hotel, no cars in the parking lot when there were always two or three. A window shutter clapped against the wooden frame that gave the inn its quaint home like feeling. The neighborhood dogs howled and barked as if settling from a ruckus. Kaoru could feel his throat tighten, his heart beating in his ears. Slender fingers wrapped around a knob of the lobby doors, breath sticking in his chest not willing to come up his throat. He was scared to open it, to find out what was beyond. The thick metallic smell coming from the only open window in the lobby didn't help settling his nerves. Suddenly Hikaru's hand was on the other knob of the double doors. They were quacking as they took in a breath. Knobs turned, doors pushed open. The sound of a local stray cat yowled and hissed as the creature darted out scaring the two.

"Stupid cat!" Hikaru yelled watching the feline skitter a few feet from them to stop and lick its paw.

Kaoru leaned against the door holding his chest, "That was startling." All of the sudden his footing couldn't hold, he slipped on the wooden floor of the entrance, a few pairs of shoes and slippers scattering from his fall.

"Kaoru? You okay?" Hikaru tried to help his brother up finding that his brother's hands were covered in something slightly thick and wet. It smelled funny as well, like... "What is this stuff?"

"I don't know," Kaoru groped the wall for the light switch. Finding it, he flicked it on, he looked at his brother who had spots of red on his cheek, "Hikaru! Did you hurt-" Hikaru's expression, he was... shuttering? He started to look down at himself when his brother grabbed a hold of him, pulling him into a tight embrace preventing him from looking down.

"Don't look," Hikaru had a hand to the back of Kaoru's head preventing him from looking around besides up.

Hazel eyes looked up and Kaoru found he couldn't breath, "Hi... Hika..."

"Kaoru?"

"It's on the ceiling," was the whimpered reply.

To Be Continued... 


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: This fic is based off of the law of three. Where it is theorized that everything must exist in sets of three in order to exist. 

PS: These three elements are also theorized to be attracted to each other with out question.

And remember that "Half" is a japanese reference for someone who is only half japanese.

-------

What It Maybe Like

Chapter 6

"I told you!" Hikaru slammed his fist down on the table that separated himself from the police officer. "We were worried so we left the movies and went to the inn to check up on Noboru and his grandfather. The lights were off and their were no cars so we went in. Kaoru slipped and I helped him up, that's how it got on us."

The officer sighed, "But what about the victim?"

"Are you listening?! I've said it seven times already! There WAS NO BODY!! We called the police soon as we turned on the lights! Now answer MY damn question! Where is Noboru and his grandfather?!"

A knock on the door prevented the man from patronizing Hikaru even more. The police officer got up and left leaving the Hitachiin alone in the small interrogation room. He leaned back in his chair and sighed heavily, this was tiring. Being separated from Kaoru, worry riddling his body, his simple question not being answered and spending over an hour repeating the same damn thing over and over. Leaning forward he rested his arms on his thighs and hung his head, eyes taking in the jeans and slippers that he wore. Soon as the police and come he had been separated from Kaoru, his clothes taken into evidence and given a change of what they had so he wouldn't be sitting around in just his underwear. Considering that Kaoru was covered in the damn stuff, his hair must be staining, all of his clothes taken socks and boxers included. The youngest of the three must be curled up in the small hard plastic chair, his fingers pulling at locks of his hair in anxiety. And Noboru... His eyes started to water. They had no idea where he was, if it was his blood that nearly bathed the twins or if he was in the hospital recovering from wounds, or if he was okay and it was someone else who was harmed.

"Shit!" The door was wrenched open revealing a different officer, "Go on get out of here, you're alibi checks out."

Getting up he stormed out of the room intent on finding his twin. Kaoru, had been waiting for him outside, fingers pulling and tearing away at skin around his nails. A nervous habit that he displayed only when he was deeply disturbed, which has only happened three times in his whole life, this being one of them. Soon as he caught sight of Hikaru he was instantly clinging onto his twin, burring his facing into the familiar scent that reassured him that he would never be alone and that everything will turn out alright. Hikaru looked at his twin, the back of his head was pink from a lame attempt to wash out blood, spots of his face and neck stained, the long sleeved shirt covering his arms that had been soaked. There was no doubt that they took an extensive amount of photographs to add to the case file. He had needed only a few but... He gave a chaste kiss on his brother's brow.

"They won't tell me anything about Noboru or Mutoh," Kaoru had a steal grip on his brother's shirt as they were escorted out of the back and into the front of the station.

"Same with me."

They pushed open the gate that separated the front desk from the lobby. Arms wrapped around them and they were nearly crushed into an embrace, blond hair mingling with their red. Tamaki's hands were hot from wringing his hands in worry, his touch gentle and soothing.

"You two okay?" His eyes were red from crying.

"Yeah, but Tono why have you been crying?" They asked in unison, glad to have the familiarity of their friend.

Tamaki's blue eyes closed tightly a fresh bought of tears rolling down his cheeks. His jaw was tight as to not allow the sobs to pour from his throat. His hold on the brothers forced them their chests to press against his. Returning the embrace he felt their hearts sink, they had never seen him like this, not in all the years they have known him. That vibrant man that laughed so easily, who was playful and fun to tease was currently a shell of that. He was someone else, someone who they didn't recognize, someone who needed comfort just as much as themselves.

"Tamaki..." Kaoru pushed back freeing the hold a little, "What's wrong?"

"The case is now a homicide," Kyouya's voice interrupted, turning their attention to him and Haruhi who were holding cups of water for everyone to drink.

"A homicide?" he echoed.

"Who?!" Hikaru felt his grip tighten onto the back of Tamaki's jacket.

Haruhi put down the cups she had been holding on a small table that was next to the line of seats that their blond friend had been occupying before they had left to get water. She looked tired herself, this whole thing bringing back memories of when she had lost her mother. "Old man... Sohmu Mutoh, was taken to the hospital by Noboru," she was having a hard time explaining this. Looking up at Kyouya she silently begged him to help her out.

He adjusted his glasses, taking a step forward. Reaching out his hand he stroked the hair of his crying companion, "He didn't make it, Noboru is currently in back with Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai... He had apparently tried to intervene in the murder."

Words choked, there was nothing else to say. So they just pulled their friends into a group hug, trying to take comfort that at least they had each other in this time of need.

----------

Mori held Noboru's limp hand in his. They weren't the best of friends but Noboru had gotten him to smile once or twice with a few jokes in the short time they had known each other. And as Honey laid into the police commissioner since Kyouya couldn't leave Tamaki's side for obvious reasons, he was left with the mourning Mutoh.

"Does it hurt?" he finally voiced.

Noboru turned his attention from the bandages wrapped up from his ankle to his knee, to the stoic man in the seat next to him. Mori's never wavering gaze had already taken in the kaki shorts and gray hoodi that the young man had to change into, his clothes taken away for evidence just like the two he was identical to. But what he had a hard time taking his sight from was the white bandages that covered the man's eye and head. There had been wounds around the ribs that had been dressed that the commissioner had someone take pictures of.

The redhead a strained smile, "You actually talk. That's good to know."

He was trying, trying hard to keep his wits about him. He couldn't see the person who had attacked his grandfather. It had been so dark, there had been a knife and a gun, that was all he could recall and tell the police. The only reason why he wasn't dead was because of the Russian martial arts instructor who would give him free lessons every now and again. He had to drag his grandfather's body out of the place while being assaulted.

His shoulder was squeezed tenderly, he let his head rest against the strong shoulder of a friend. Noboru's hand tightened around the one that held his.

"Thanks Mori..." he mumbled. "I'm okay... it doesn't hurt much."

To Be continued... 


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: This fic is based off of the law of three. Where it is theorized that everything must exist in sets of three in order to exist. 

PS: These three elements are also theorized to be attracted to each other with out question.

And remember that "Half" is a japanese reference for someone who is only half japanese.

-------

What It Maybe Like

Chapter 7

Honey kicked his legs sitting at the large table with his friends. He still didn't like how that police commissioner treated Noboru like a criminal, he had to take matters into his own hands while Mori kept their companion company outside the man's office. He was forced to break the man's solid oak desk in half to make his point, he didn't like having to do it but he just wouldn't listen. Just because Noboru saw his grandmother get run over three years ago doesn't mean he killed his grandfather, stupid policeman.

"Who would want to kill old man Mutoh?" Tamaki chewed on his thumbnail. It took a lot of Kyouya's power to place a clamp on this case so that the press wouldn't know that the sons of so many large corporations were even in the remote vicinity of the area. 

"Maybe someone he knew back in the day when he was in the war," Honey offered petting his bunny's head.

"That's possible but a bit unlikely," Haruhi wrote down the option on a paper. "Tamaki, did he mention at any time if there was someone in the town that he didn't like?"

Blue eyes brightened, "There was this one lady and her family. The family was really mean to Noboru but the youngest daughter is dead set on marrying him. He didn't give much detail though."

Kyouya adjusted his glasses looking up from his laptop, "It would seem that to be wise to speak to the family as soon as we can. Did he mention their name?"

"Nekomata."

Everyone stared at him. Before Haruhi snickered, "That's a cat from folklore not a last name."

"I know that, but that's their family name. The daughter, I ran into her once, she was excited on spending time with Noboru when he got off work but the twins had already grabbed him. Hanako Nekomata was her name."

"Hanako? As in the lady who haunts the fourth bathroom stall in the lady's room, Hanako?" Haruhi was having a hard time swallowing these names.

"She tried to introduce me to her brothers as well; Manteru and Sontaku."

"Tama-chan, this isn't a time for making jokes," Honey frowned. Manteru as in the red mantel who would meet people in the bathroom and ask if you wanted a red or blue mantel. He would kill you from either answer, red would cover you in your own blood making it look as if you were covered with a red mantel; blue you were suffocated till your skin was blue. And Sontaku the same name for the Ninomiya Sontaku statues that were placed in front of each public school was known to wander the school grounds in search for knowledge.

"I'm not making any of this up, those are their names!"

"Yeah right," Haruhi sighed.

"Actually it would seem that he is right for once."

"Kyouya" glittering eyes turned to the man.

"In the local registry of citizens there is a family listed with such names."

Several sets of eyes peered at the screen that was swiveled around for them to see, there really was.

"Interesting how such a family would have an interest in a boy who appeared out of nowhere."

Everyone looked at the man behind the computer screen who had his arms folded across his chest. He had a point, it was pretty... weird.

--------

"You need to sleep," Kaoru whispered to the man who sat on the edge of the bed just watching the world go by outside.

Noboru shifted slightly showing that he registered someone was speaking to him even though he didn't respond. He hadn't cried yet, just remained as quiet as possible; waiting, watching. It worried Kaoru and it hurt him deep inside whenever he looked at the man who was only a few years older than himself and his twin. He maybe the youngest but that didn't mean he was incompetent. If anything at all, it meant that he understood more than most people, being the youngest doesn't mean you get what you want all the time. Sure he got more attention from their mother than Hikaru but that was only because she knew he was the last baby she would ever have. No, he wasn't spoiled, he wouldn't be treated differently from his beloved twin, but he was observant and felt deeply for those who he cared for more than people could see. And because he felt so deeply, so truly a lot of times he hesitated and most the time he didn't know what to do and if he did anything he questioned if it was for the greater good or for selfish reasons. But one thing was for certain, it hurt... it hurt a lot watching someone he loved in pain and unable to express it.

His grip on the door knob tightened. He was torn between leaving Noboru to himself in this empty room or force Noboru to come with him to Hikaru's side, or remain their in the deafening silence that stabbed at his heart.

"Please... say something," he whispered, the hallowed walls making his voice travel.

Tears started to form in his eyes, the salty liquid trailing down his cheek when all he got was silence.

"Flower petals," the hoarse voice mumbled into the late night hours.

Kaoru felt his heart skip, by the sound of Noboru's voice he's been silently crying when no one has been around to see him shed a tear. Letting go of the door, he slowly crossed the room, sitting on the edge of the bed opposite of his love interest. He would need to say something, anything just to keep that voice going, too hear it a make sure that everything really would be okay.

"What... kind of flower petals?"

"Lilac, rose, orange blossom... everything but lavender and yarrow blossom..."

"Why not those two?" he reached his hand back, fingers barely brushing over Noboru's thumb that twitched from the contact.

This time there was nothing but silence. Kaoru tried a different question, "Why do you need just the petals?" Silence again. Adjusting himself, the redhead brought a leg up onto the mattress. It would seem that Noboru was done for the moment. He gave a small smile, pulling himself fully onto the bed and wrapping his arms gently around his friend's back. Kissing Noboru's temple he felt a little grateful that he was able to get as much as he had out of the grieving man.

"Why don't you come to bed with Hikaru and me?"

Noboru slowly shook his head but let Kaoru push him down onto the mattress. The youngest of the three look-a-likes tenderly touched the bandage that graced the eldest face insuring a speedy recovery with its help.

"Did you want me to stay?" he whispered softly tracing the jaw line that was a bit rounder than his and Hikaru's. His bangs shifting into his eyes as he waited for a reply.

Noboru reached up, tucking the soft locks behind an ear. Then he took the hand that touched and caressed his face to give pale knuckles a chaste kiss and promptly looked away. Hazel eyes slowly blinked before Kaoru kissed his companion's cheek knowing the message; Thanks but I'll pass this time. He slipped his way off of the bed grabbing the covers and pulled them over Noboru. With one last touch to the face he whispered, "Try to get some sleep... please." And with that he left the room, pausing by the door when a simple, "Goodnight… Night night" was said. He opened the door and left the room, finding Hikaru leaning against the wall next to the door. Hikaru reached over pulling his brother close and giving him a kiss on the temple.

"Noboru says 'nighty night'," Kaoru held his brother tight. He knew from the nights past with their triplet that "goodnight" was designated for Kaoru and "nighty night" was only used for Hikaru.

Hikaru smiled a little, he cracked open the door and said in a hushed voice, "Nighty night, Noboru."

To Be Continued... 


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: This fic is based off of the law of three. Where it is theorized that everything must exist in sets of three in order to exist. PS: These three elements are also theorized to be attracted to each other with out question.

And remember that "Half" is a japanese reference for someone who is only half japanese.

-------

What It Maybe Like

Chapter 8

A hazel eye stared intently up at the cupboard that was just out of his reach. His arms were shorter compaired to his triplets only by an inch or two, but that was enough to make it difficult to get what he desired. And since his injuries were located where they were he couldn't get on his tippy-toes and streach to make up for that little bit of lost difference. So here he was, resorting in having to figure out where the heck stepping stools were stashed away because all the chairs were too heavy for him to carry over with out pulling a stich or two.

"I thought you were supposed to be asleep."

Noboru turned around in time to be pinned against the counter by Hikaru. The eldest twin placed his hands on the counter on either side of the injured man. Their faces were so close, bodies tightly pressed together. Noboru's face flushed as he looked to the side.

"I..." Hikaru smelled really nice, no wounder Kaoru was always so close to him all the time.

"You couldn't sleep?" he tilted his head, bed raggled hair giving him a soft look.

"Yeah."

Okay it was getting kind of hard to breath now. First Kaoru shows up in his room trying to get him to bed only to look DAMN sexy while tucking him in, and now Hikaru has him pinned agianst the counter in that huge kitchen of his. He desperately wanted to places his hands were they shouldn't be. Great, now his throat was dry.

"So what were you looking at?"

"G-ground sage," Okay, seriously hard to control one's self when Hikaru is petting the underside of your chin with a finger. And under normal cercumstances he probably would have done something to that body that was heating him up, but... but his grandfather had just died and it would be wrong to... He didn't want to wrong them, not Hikaru and Kaoru. Never did he want to. "Look, forget it, I'll just go back to bed."

He tried to push his way past but Hikaru would have none of that. He grabbed a hold of Noboru's wrist, gently pulling him to his chest. Wrapping his arms around him, he kissed that gauze that covered one eye. "Don't..."

"Don't?"

"Don't try to handle this by yourself, it hurts Kaoru... it hurts me, us, to see you try so hard to keep it all in."

"You lost m-phf."

He was cut off by a tongue darting into his mouth. His breath haulted as seering lips sealed with his, gentle hands caressing his face. Hikaru poured his dominance intot he kiss, acerting his athorty, declairing everything that he couldn't verbally say. His hands ran down Noboru's back cupping around slender thighs and lifting him up to seat on the counter. When Hikaru backed away he felt dizzy, Noboru's lips could very easily become addictive. He really, really, really had to try hard not to go any farther with the man that had just taken his breath away.

"I've..." Noboru's fingers ran over his own lips, his face flushed, "never kissed like that before..."

It was a lot harder now, but the Hitachiin was determined not to take advantage of those he loved. Trying hard to keep a lid on his hormones he spoke, "Kaoru and I are here for you. If you want to cry, cry. If you want to laugh, laugh. But do NOT bottle it up inside only to let it go when you're alone, because you're not alone any more."

Noboru rested the crown of his head against Hikaru's. That was... the first time he was told it was okay to cry, not even when grandma died could he. He had to be strong for grandpa he had to keep it all at bay. And as the flood gates to that bay started to open, he felt relief wash over him.

"Noboru?" Hikaru's hand rubbed the redhead's back, "Are you-"

"Shut up," his quacking voice mumbled. "You were the one who said it was okay to cry."

"Yeah," he closed his eyes letting one hand stroke down Noboru's back while the other played with hair. "Yeah it is."

--------

Kaoru shifted in bed, hand reaching out and finding no warmth where there should have been. With a heavy sigh he rolled over and sat up. Rubbing sleep out of his eye his ears were greeted with the sound of something at the window. Probably another darn bird smacking into the window pane again. Running a hand through his hair he glanced over to see if the sun had risen yet.

Outside in the storm that came over the hours of sleep was something hanging from a rope. The wind beat it against the window in thumps and taps. Kaoru's eyes were wide, his mouth hung open. He gave a strangled shout when two sets of arms wrapped around him. His body easily lifted off of the bed. He gave a kick to the person holding his legs and twisted out of the grip that held his torso, landing on the ground he scrambled up to his feet.

"That hurt you know," Hikaru rubbed at his side soon as the triplets were out into the hallway.

"I said I was sorry," Kaoru's eyes were watery from guilt. He was scared when he saw the dead crow hanging outside his bedroom window. It's not every day you see something like that and then to suddenly be grabbed from behind while you were shooken up he kind of freaked out.

"He already cried when he saw that it was you he kicked," Noboru rested his head against the wall arms wrapped around Kaoru's shoulders from behind. There was a moment of silence before he spoke up again, "Who's... going to call the police?"

"We're not," Hikaru's eyes hardened. No the police were too kind for something like this, the perpertrator could NOT have a chance. He wanted the bastard to be hunted down like a rabid dog. "We're going to Kyouya."

To Be Continued... 


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: This fic is based off of the law of three. Where it is theorized that everything must exist in sets of three in order to exist. PS: These three elements are also theorized to be attracted to each other with out question.

And remember that "Half" is a japanese reference for someone who is only half japanese.

-------

What It Maybe Like

Chapter 9

The man that came had intelligent eyes, the ones that whispered unspoken truths and sought after knowledge like a macabre fairy tail. He had a brief word with Kyouya, hushed whispers in the large room that held many people but managed to seem empty due to its own size. He had hung up his hat and coat reveling an elderly gentleman with a trimmed silver beard and mustache. There was another man that came, white trench coat drenched in cold rain, hemmed with mud. The man's dark hair fell over one eye and he had a pleasant smile that seemed perpetually strained and oddly genuine. The second stranger had a black bag with him that he kept close joining in the conversations between the first man and the "mother" of the group.

The second man broke off from the conversation to approach the small group huddled together. Tamaki had an arm wrapped around Haruhi's his normal laughing eyes hard with protection. Honey sat upon Mori's lap looking as menacing as the bunny he held, while Mori kept a hold of his charge with possession and sat next to the triplets with a look that told that if anyone tried anything while he was around they were in a world of hurt. Hikaru resembled a pissed off feline that could claw out your eyes from a few feet away, Kaoru clung onto Noboru who was currently swaying in his seat. They had just finally got his medication inside of him and he was having trouble with it, or so it would appear. Said medication was set on a tray on the end table next to the three. The strange man reached over and straightened Noboru when the redhead started to slide out of Kaoru's grip.

"When did you administer the medication?" his deep voice rumbled like quiet thunder as he opened his black bag, pulling out a stethoscope.

"Ten minutes ago," Kaoru wrapped an arm around Noboru's neck forcing the man to lean against him.

The doctor proceeded to listen to breathing and pulse as best he could with a drugged up patient, "It would seem that I can take you off of some medication No-chan."

"Damn straight," the redhead slipped down Kaoru's body pulling down parts of Kaoru's shirt trying to keep upright but found it made things a lot easier to just settle on that nice warm lap.

"Which medication?" Hikaru reached behind his twin to help support Noboru who was currently falling off of the couch.

"The one to control hallucinations," the stoic man stated while taking the medicine bottle. "I thought he was having bouts of schizophrenia when he said there were two other people that looked just like him, he even had names."

"Why would you think something like that?! You're a doctor at least TRY to know what you're doing!" Hikaru snarled.

"Hey! Kiramu knows what he's doing, right Ki-chan?" Noboru suddenly lurched forward slumping against the doctor.

"Ki-chan?"

The doctor smiled patting the man on the back who was currently lacking all motor-function, "I'm the Mutoh family doctor. I've seen a lot of No-chan over the years. You could say we're almost family."

That was when the first man decided to approach the group with Kyouya by his side. The "mother" adjusted his glasses clearing his throat gaining everyone's attention. "Everyone, this is Mr. Morita, he will be the one in charge of the investigation of this case."

Morita bowed slightly, "I need to ask everyone several questions." He smiled a little at the tired look that Noboru had, "And I think there is someone we can start with so we can put him back to bed."

----------

Morita flicked his cigarette, the ash falling into the ash-tray as he sat across a small table from a particular redhead. He had an open folder in front of him and a large yellow pad of paper with pen in hand. Noboru had his arms folded across the table, leaning fully against it as to not fall from fatigue and dizziness.

"Let's start with what you remember about how you got your wounds," the old man's voice was slightly gravelly from smoking for years.

"I remember... I remember the pain of something suddenly in my side, how it twisted when I slipped on grandpa's blood and fell. I remember... the glint of a gun in dim light, but it was never fired. I had grabbed Grandpa and my leg was suddenly pinned to the ground." Noboru rubbed at his good eye, "Um... I pulled out the knife and threw it. All the doors were locked, so I opened a window. Something... made my eye sting..."

"What where you thinking while this happened?"

"Only that grandpa needed help. He needed help," his voice cracked and he ground his palm into his good eye taking a breath. "No matter how much I yelled, no one could hear me over the neighbor's dogs barking."

"When did you... realize that the vic... that your grandfather had passed away?"

"When his body suddenly stopped being tense, he had suddenly slumped right outside the hospital doors."

"Did you want to take a break?"

Noboru lifted up his head sobering a little from the seriousness of the situation, "No, I'm good."

The detective wrote down some short hand onto the yellow paper taking another drag from his cigarette, "Alright, next question. I have to ask it, it's nothing personal, okay?"

The redhead nodded slowly in reply.

"Were you getting along with your grandfather?"

"It was hard NOT to get alone with him," he stifled a yawn. "Him and grandma... they were... something else. So kind to everyone that crossed their path."

"Speaking of your grandmother, you were there when she died correct?"

"Yeah."

"What had happened then?"

"We were..." Noboru's eyes started to drift shut, it was hard to keep awake, "We were coming home from the festival. It was the day they designated to be my birthday. We were almost home, grandpa was out of town on business of some sort." So hard to keep his eyes open, "She was so spry... a car came out of no where... She tumbled underneath the carriage... went under the tires... I... had to stop her from rolling... There was... a woman... hated... her smile..." And he was asleep not able to fight off the medicine any longer.

Outside the room, holding each other's hands, two identical twins had listened in. Kaoru with his eyes closed tried to control the pangs of pain that his heart felt. Hikaru glared into empty space, more determined than ever.

To Be Continued...

PS: Thank you for all the reviews! I really appreciate it. 


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: This fic is based off of the law of three. Where it is theorized that everything must exist in sets of three in order to exist. 

PS: These three elements are also theorized to be attracted to each other with out question.

And remember that "Half" is a japanese reference for someone who is only half japanese.

-------

What It Maybe Like

Chapter 10

Everyone has a secret; something that they can hide for just themselves to know. Not many secrets are sweet and innocent, not many of them delve into the future and not in the past. But one thing still remains the same between all secrets; they were kept as to not hurt someone. From hurting someone you love, or hurting one's self. And every person believes that its for the greater good that the secret is kept to never know if it is true or not.

Noboru has a secret; a secret that hurts him physically each day whenever he tries to remember anything from the past. It's an ugly thing that slithers a few inches from the belly button over to the hip and down under the hem of his pants in a jagged crescent pattern. It was thick and bright against already pale skin. Not many had seen it and not many knew about it, after all one of the people who knew was dead now. The truth hidden in silence resting in the morgue. But that knowledge that is kept away can never truly remain hidden; eyes tend to see, fingers wander and touch, and lips whisper in the moonlight as everyone slumbers but them and the secret.

"How did you get this?" Kaoru's fingers traced the tail of the scar that came from belly button to hip. His touch light and sweet, eyes looking at the ugly thing that marred perfect skin.

Noboru was leaned up against many pillows on the large bed that the triplets shared. He had taken off the wrappings on his head, for the first time showing the injuries that were hidden behind. There was a small patch of hair that was missing, scabbed over with hair combed over it on the side of his head. Under his right eye, traveling down a part of his cheek and back towards the ear was a red cross. The angry wound preparing to leave an inevitable scar. He had only woken up an hour ago, his stirring wakening the gentler of the three.

"I had it... when I woke up," Noboru watched the moon outside, he always liked the moon. It was always so calming in its gentle light.

Kaoru stopped touching the thick scar, looking up into those eyes that mirrored his in only shape and color. Now that placed thought into it Noboru's eyes were pained. A hurt deep inside that tries to keep a mask over it showing smiles and light hearted laughs. Those eyes knew so many secrets and told very few.

"What's wrong?" Noboru reached up, hand threading through soft hair.

"I... don't like the cut on your face." Kaoru leaned into the touch, pulling himself up to sit on his legs next to Noboru, "I should have known something was going to happen-"

Noboru's light chuckle trickled to his ears like bells. Such a lovely laugh that he had not the pleasure of hearing for far to long.

"What's so funny?"

"I-it's just that," he laughed a little more. "You say it as if I went out and got a tattoo for a present to you."

"I didn't mean it like that!"

There it was, that smile that was genuine and beautiful. The smile that he loved to see and yearned to kiss.

"It's fine, you're honest and light hearted," Noboru stroked Kaoru's cheek. "It's what I love about you."

"You mean... you really mean it?"

The eldest redhead's cheeks lit up, his eyes drifting to the window again. What he said was a mumbled agreement but it was loud enough for sensitive ears to hear it. A once sleepy eye opened and an evil smirk formed as Hikaru pulled himself off of his belly lay and onto his elbows. He watched as Kaoru grabbed Noboru's face and forced a kiss upon him, tongue delving deep into the surprised mouth to be returned with enthusiasm. He pulled himself up into a crawl, careful and unnoticed until the two were parting tongues still touching, then he licked; capturing the taste of the two that he loved most.

Noboru blinked while Kaoru's face flared. The eldest of the group placed his chin in his hand in thought while Hikaru grinned like the cat that just caught the canary.

"I see..."

"Huh?" twins echoed.

"Since I'm eldest I need to establish dominance or who knows what will happen," Noboru's classic expression didn't change, but for the twins that meant something fun was about to transpire.

----------------

Mr. Morita sat across the table once more from Noboru early in the morning. The man didn't sport his usual bandages over the eye, only around the head with butterfly Band-Aids over the scabbing cross. The green tea he drank was out of a coffee mug with his hand up his night shirt scratching around the bandage that covered the wound in his side.

"You're up early," the old man smiled setting down his files in order. "You sure you want to continue with this while everyone is asleep?"

Noboru smiled fondly, "I think it might be best to tell all of the truth while the walls aren't listening."

"You say that as if you have something to hide, sonny."

"Well," the redhead leaned back in his chair closing his eyes in deep thought. "Some truths are harder to understand than others. Plus… there is something I'd like to ask you to do after we are done here."

"Oh?" Morita raised a shaggy eyebrow, "And what would that be?"

"Once we're done…" Noboru looked into his cup of tea, his grip around the ceramic white knuckled. He wet his dry lips, it was going to hard to do this. He knew that they would all throw a fit but it was best that this was done, after all, he wanted them to be safe. Above all else, they needed to be safe, every one of them. Tamaki who laughed and shared stories with his grandfather, Kyouya who would silently smile as everyone ate together. Mori who allowed him to pull on his hand and beg and plead with Honey for him to come with them on small excursions. Honey who always had a bright smile and a piece of cake to offer and if that didn't work then a cuddle to your arm was always a cure. Haruhi who was reasonable and made their family complete. Hikaru and Kaoru… whom he…

"Noboru?"

Once hazel eyes looked up, hard and deadly, "I need to disappear for a while."

To Be Continued... 


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: This fic is based off of the law of three. Where it is theorized that everything must exist in sets of three in order to exist. 

PS: These three elements are also theorized to be attracted to each other with out question.

And remember that "Half" is a japanese reference for someone who is only half japanese.

-------

What It Maybe Like

Chapter 11

He stood still on a highway. It was a long road, fields golden from heat; dirt dry from little rain. The sun was up and he was standing next to a small yellow car. There was a high sun, the only tree in sight was the one he was parked under, the shade just large enough to cover the car and himself. His face felt dry and his throat yearned for water. Taking off his sunglasses he squinted up at the sky that held no clouds or birds. With a grimacing expression he looked back to his surroundings finding that Hikaru just got out of the passenger side of the car, but... wait he should have been on the passenger side. Bending over and looking into the car he found the driver's wheel on the opposite side, this was an American car. Why was he driving one of those? Why was he driving at all? Where the hell was he?

"Kaoru?" Hikaru looked just as confused as he was.

"Yeah," he nodded. He wasn't sure what was going on, but if this was some type of dream then it was a little to real for his taste and why was he interacting with his brother in a dream?

"Where the heck?" Kaoru frowned seeing a thin old man by the side of the road. He had a face that he knew like his own, but he couldn't place where he had seen it before. With paced steps, he rounded the car coming up to his brother's side. They watched the old man, pacing slowly as if he wanted to cross the road.

"I don't think he was there before," Hikaru took his twin's hand into his.

"He wasn't. Should we... talk to him?"

"Well, it is a dream." The eldest of the two pulled on Kaoru's hand, "Come on, it should be too bad with both of us."

With wide strides they walked down the black pavement of the old cracked road. The old man's face coming in clearer the closer they became. He had a peppered beard, large brown eyes riddled with sorrow and worry. His calloused and slightly knobby fingers rung themselves as he craned his neck as if making sure they were headed his way. He took off his baseball cap and smoothed back baby fine hair the same color as his beard.

"E-excuse me?" he asked in English.

"Crud, English, I don't know English. Kaoru?"

"Yeah, I got it," the younger took a breath remembering his English lessons. Changing word of tongue he started to speaking in the foreign language, "Can I help you?"

"I... ha-have you found my little girl?"

Kaoru woke up with a start. His breath was short and ragged, body sticky with sweat. Sitting up he let the covers slip down his night shirt. A hand covered his, glancing over he found his brother in the same state. Hikaru sat up holding his head as if it hurt.

"Man," he groaned. "I just had a funky dream with this old man on the side of the road speaking-"

"English, and I had to translate."

Their bodies stiffened at a sudden realization.

"Where's Noboru?" they asked at the same time looking to one another for the answer.

"Shit!" Hikaru ripped off the blankets, he jumped out of the bed not caring he was only in his pajama pants. He darted out of the room with a fully pajama covered Kaoru right on his heels. Their first stop was by the kitchen, no Noboru. They nearly collided into each other bursting into the drawing room to find only Mr. Morita writing something in his case file.

"Have you seen Noboru?" both panicked.

"Yes."

"Where is he?!"

The old man stood up with a folded piece of paper in his hand. Walking up to the two he handed it over giving his most kind voice, "He asked me to give this to you and tell you he'll be okay."

The older Hitachiin snapped the paper away from the man. Unfolding the paper he found only a simple sentence that made no sense. He reread it possibly ten times before his anger exploded, the note being handed off to his brother behind him.

"What the HELL does 'I'll see you when Ichabod is eating toast on a post' MEAN?!" he bellowed.

"I don't know, he only told me to give you the note, that is all."

"Bullshit! Where is he?!!"

"It's confidential!"

Hikaru started to growl, "What does that mean?"

"It means," Morita played with his unlit cigarette between his fingers while looking the twins with unwavering eyes. "That he wants to catch this bastard more than anyone else. Please don't make it any more difficult."

Kaoru placed his hands on his brother's shoulders, "Hikaru..."

Hikaru shook his brother off, storming past him to go off sulking on his own, mumbling, "Leave me alone for a bit."

The youngest turned to the old detective, "Mr. Morita... is there... anything else that you can tell us?"

"Just that he made a wise decision. He's a smart kid," he smiled a little. "And he's in safe hands."

--------

Kaoru opened the door to his room finding his brother on his bed sulking like he usually does. Closing the door behind him he took one of the hot coffee cups form his other hand and held it out to his brother.

"You want some? It'll calm you down."

"What I want is Noboru to be here with you and me," Hikaru shifted so that he wouldn't be looking at his twin who was walking up to the side of the bed. "What was he thinking?! Stupid... selfish... strip poker winning jerk."

The younger redhead smiled a little. It would seem that the game that Noboru had them play late at night was still eating at him, Hikaru was the first to loose after all. But what was really bothering him was that Noboru would leave like that, with out a word and he understood. It hurt, he wanted to find Noboru and give him a good slap across the cheek for doing this, but... he couldn't help but wonder. Was it for the best?

"What if he thought that it was best to leave as to protect us?"

"Then he should have at least talked to us about it! I know this pisses you off to, don't pretend that it doesn't."

"It does, but... but all of this is happening around him, not us, him. Noboru," Kaoru placed down the coffee cups onto the end table next to the bed. "Noboru's trying hard to protect us. You know that as well as I do so don't pretend that he's doing this for selfish reasons! He loves us and you know it!"

Hikaru's eyes grew wide, his brother had never genuinely snapped at him before. Turning around he found his brother trying to wipe tears from his eyes with his hands and wrists but they continued to pearl down.

"Kaoru I-" he reached out a hand stopping a few inches away when his brother sobbed out in a tiny voice.

"I can't help but wonder. What if Mom had gone under a car and I had to stop her from rolling? What would it feel like to hold her broken body while some lady grinned at me like I deserved the pain of seeing her die? What if I had come home and found someone killing dad? Would I be strong enough to try and fight back, to drag him out with my leg pinned down to the floor with a knife? How would I handle it to feel his body go limp when we were just inches away from what could save his life?" He sniffled as he continued to cry out, "Would I still be able to love someone who couldn't be there when I needed them the most?"

Hikaru jerked his brother into his lap. Holding him tight he whispered in a strained voice. He hadn't told Kaoru that he had the same questions running through his head. Would he still be able to grin that silly grin and flex a muscle with a wink? Would he still be able to live if he had lost anyone like that? Everything that Noboru did was a sign of strength that the twins lacked, the sentimental sweetness that they never had until he became known to their world. But now that third part was lost and he was confused as what to do, so naturally he became frustrated.

"Kaoru, we couldn't have known what was going to happen to Mutoh. We can't blame ourselves for that, and... and if what had happened in the past doesn't bother Noboru then... then I don't think we should let it bother us."

"But we could have insisted on staying with him, walk him home and hung out with Mutoh and Noboru and everything would have been fine."

"I'm sorry... I wish we had done that too but..." He hugged Kaoru tighter, "But all we can do now is find Noboru and make sure that he knows that he's not alone."

Kaoru was starting to calm once more, "You... think we can? We don't have much to work with and if we go to Kyouya then everyone else will find out and they'll most likely try and stop us."

Hikaru let go of his brother, in favor of brushing messy bangs out of wet eyes, "What I think we can do is use what we got. You're forgetting dad develops software."

To Be Continued... 


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: This fic is based off of the law of three. Where it is theorized that everything must exist in sets of three in order to exist. 

PS: These three elements are also theorized to be attracted to each other with out question.

And remember that "Half" is a japanese reference for someone who is only half japanese.

-------

What It Maybe Like

Chapter 12

Eyes, they were beautiful eyes. They were the kind that smiled and laughed, twinkled with sorrow and glittered with intelligence. The color unique, not many people had hazel eyes like that, but what was truly the marvel was the shape. The oval like an almond with an almost lazy feline touch. So beautiful. A hand traced the eyes on the poster in the dark, painted nails catching the light from the busy streets of Tokyo. Fingers curled digging into the glossy paper tearing grooves down the face. It was always those eyes that was the cause of the rage that came in fits. That disgusting fury that caused so much to happen just because of those eyes, those pretty, pretty eyes.

"How could you do that?!" the person shrieked in anger. Their fist collided with the wall, knuckles cracking under the power of the strike. "How could you forget about me?! After all that I've done for you!!"

The poster started to peal away from the wall, torn with spatters of blood from a beaten fist. Breath caught in a chest, the tight fist uncurled and caught the paper.

"I'm sorry," they spoke in a low voice as if telling a secret. Smoothing out the paper back onto the wall they pressed their cheek against the poster, tears threatening to spill, "I'm sorry Noboru, don't be that way. I'm sorry."

---------

School had started up again, the days of summer dying off as students either hurried or shuffled their way past the school gates and into the class rooms. This time around the usual Host Club fans were confused and held back their squeals of delight. The twins were no longer present and it would seem everyone but Haruhi and Kyouya held this tiny bit of sadness deep inside. A few whispers had floated down the hallways questioning what had happened over the break. But that was all and to Kaoru's disgust it really had seemed to be that simple; if it didn't happen to them then it didn't happen at all. He wanted to shout at them all about Noboru, about how wonderful he was; that no matter what had happened Old Man Mutoh had once been alive full of stories and kindness. But they didn't know him, to all the people that had walked around they never existed. They didn't know what Noboru had meant when he said he needed flower petals. All of these blind people, the short sided squealing girls that surrounded the them didn't know that they had attended Mutoh's funeral and baskets of flowers where handed to each person who came. They had no clue that while his ashes were being laid to rest next to his wife in the cold hard ground that everyone threw the petals into the sky, the wind picking them up in a beautiful swirl as if taking him up to heaven.

Kaoru ran his thumb over the built in mouse pad on his laptop ignoring the teacher. No one knew but their friends. And he was positive that he would have disowned them completely if they had acted like nothing had happened, but each and every day Tamaki would meet them at the school gate at the beginning of school and ask them if they were okay. Each and every day when they were going home before the group parted he would ask if there was anything he could do to help. Mori would pat them on the head every once in a while, Honey would try to talk to them any chance he got. Kyouya excused them from club duties and allowed them full contact with Detective Morita, and Haruhi had covered them in class so that they could work on hacking programs and use software that was designed to track people's finances. There wasn't much they could use with out raising suspicion from their parents after all. 

He ran his fingers over the keyboard into a chat window. He was still bothered by that dream that Hikaru and he had the morning that Noboru left; he never had it again but that old man's face was so picture perfect in his mind. He was sure that it was significant but he didn't know where to start. He tried dream interpretation sites and books, but nothing fit. And so now, while he was waiting for the finance tracking program to process so he could use it as a guise to slip into hospital records he was currently chatting with an American friend he had for a month or so. She was a sweet girl, a little weird but was worth talking to from time to time. Like any woman she had sensed something was bothering him so he decided to tell her about that dream hoping she wouldn't pry to much. As expected he got the usual response of looking up meanings and blah, blah, blah. Ooo, program was done. Time for some hard core hacking, hopefully those books he read last weak really were worth the money. Quickly setting to work on accessing doctor-client privileged records, he barely heard the bell chime. Students lingered and students went, all unseen by the young man hunched over the portable computer. A bottle of juice was handed to him from one side as his twin leaned on him from the other.

"Any luck?" Haruhi asked watching the screen. Even though they had meant to keep their pursuit on Noboru a secret everyone had found out anyway, it wasn't hard considering how tight-knit the group was. Kyouya had silently offered to help but they declined, they wanted to know the raw truth and not have it filtered through hands that would soften everything.

Kaoru took a drink and handed the bottle over to Hikaru who took a sip and handed it back to Haruhi, "Almost have gained access..."

"But couldn't you just go to Kyouya-senpai for something like this? You'd get the information a lot faster."

"We can't," Hikaru didn't even bother to look at their friend as he watched the screen his brother was typing codes into. "We have to do this ourselves or-"

"I'm in!"

"You are?" Haruhi leaned in to see for herself.

"What does it say?" Hikaru leaned over to get a better view, placing his hand on his brother's shoulder.

Cold, that was the feeling he got from seeing the text. The sensation of numbing anger washed down his spine as Kaoru reached up and laced his fingers with his. The younger of the Hitachiin family read out loud in a hushed voice.

"Mutoh Noboru, file content..." he swallowed, "first hospitalization from suspected group attack..." he felt the cold like his brother. "suffered from contusions suspected to be caused by reverse-bar, hair line fracture in right fibula and blunt force trauma to the parietal bone. Laceration four inches deep cut in eight inch crescent shape. Fetus terminated from laceration... I can't read any more right now."

Kaoru quickly selected what text he needed and saved it onto his hard drive. Exiting out of everything, covering his tracks as quickly as he could, his mind reeling. A soft hand gave his hair a gentle stroke while Haruhi found herself at a lose for words. How was she supposed to tell them that everything was alright when they just found out that Noboru once almost had a baby? What was there to say? To do?

"Hikaru... Kaoru... I'll... see you tomorrow," she hesitated but decided it was best. The school day ended and it was best to let them be alone. Leaving the room she nearly bumped full bodily into Tamaki.

"Haruhi, how are they?" he asked noticing that she was baring him from going inside the empty class room.

"Senpai... they just need some time right now."

"Did they find out anything? Is Noboru okay? Mutoh wouldn't forgive me if something happened to him."

"Far was we know Noboru is fine, but..."

"But?"

"Tamaki-senpai, how do you feel about hermaphrodites?"

To Be Continued... 


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: This fic is based off of the law of three. Where it is theorized that everything must exist in sets of three in order to exist. 

PS: These three elements are also theorized to be attracted to each other with out question.

And remember that "Half" is a japanese reference for someone who is only half japanese.

Note: If you would like to see some art of the triplets please go to my Deviant Art account. My handle is Hiso-chan. If you would like to make some art of them, please contact me. I love art.

-------

What It Maybe Like

Chapter 13

Noboru put down the large stack of papers that he had been reading. His eyes were straining and his mind was reeling with pain. He took off his glasses allowing the world to blur from his near-sightedness. Each hour that passed was making it much more difficult to be away from them. God how he wanted to feel the warmth from Kaoru's body from tender embraces. His skin prickled with need each time he closed his eyes, he swore he could feel Hikaru's breath on the back of his neck. They were addictive like a toxin to him. He hadn't slept a minute in the long weeks since he had left. When ever he tried to sleep he would have nightmares that were worse than usual.

Looking to the clock he sighed as he flicked the ash from his cigarette into a tray. He didn't smoke before he left them, but now his body shuddered and sweated like a man coming off of an addiction if he didn't have the nicotine to distract him. He paced himself and only took a few puffs from each cigarette, letting most of it burn to leave the room with the smell of tobacco. He wanted to make sure he could drop smoking before it became a habit. But as things where floating he was going to be smoking six packs a day before he could see them again.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose trying to sooth the pain that pulsed in his brain. His body was falling apart, he needed classes/contacts now, he had picked up smoking, and he was sorely tempted to start drinking as well but he drew the line there. He was already destroying himself from his sheer need to be with the twin devils that brought him into a world that no one could understand but the three of them.

There was a knock on the door to the hotel room he was staying at. Morita opened the door when no reply came, he was tired just looking at the young man. He had almost lost count how many nights they had spent pouring themselves over files and possible clues. They had gotten as far as getting a proper identification for the woman who Noboru had seen the day of the murder, but she was no where to be found. The trails that she had left was like a ball of yarn that gotten eaten by a lawn mower, she was everywhere yet no where all at the same time. The only other clue that they could get besides medical records was what little they could find in Noboru's past. And the only thing that could be found there was a trail that stopped cold at his first hospitalization.

"Here for an other session?" Noboru placed the cigarette he had between his lips not taking a breath from it.

"I take it you still don't remember anything."

"Not a damn thing," he growled. God Dammit! His thoughts were not always flowing back to Hikaru and Kaoru, he couldn't concentrate anymore. "Damn it! If I just didn't know what I know or don't know or knew what I had lost," he sighed putting out his cigarette and rested his head in his hand at the same time. He could hear their musical laughter in the back of his head, it was as if they were haunting him. "This is so confusing, I have no idea what I'm doing anymore."

"We do have one more route to travel."

"If it'll get this done faster than I'll try anything a step shy from selling myself on the street corner."

Morita laughed, "Shoot that leaves me with only one plan now."

Noboru grinned, "Okay, enough joking. And if I know you as well as I think I do, I bet you're going to suggest looking into other options as to my ability to speak fluent English."

"You're good, you sure you don't want to be a detective?"

"Don't have the smarts nor the attention span. What's your theory?"

The old man flopped himself down in one of the small chairs in the room, "Well, to make a long investigating story short I found out that you don't speak 'the Queen's English' so it's not European oriented. That only leaves America."

"Have you managed to get a hold of any missing person's reports?"

Morita help up a small manila envelope, "I asked an American buddy of mine to help out, sent him your picture." His eyes grew hard, "what I got was very limited, but I did discover one thing for definite."

Noboru frowned, that look he was getting... no good could come of it.

"Noboru, it would seem someone is determined to erase you."

-----------------

Hikaru couldn't sleep. His mind was busy trying to picture what it would have been like to meet Noboru with a son or daughter, a laughing child filled with happiness that would cling onto his leg shy of Uncle Hikaru and Uncle Kaoru. But it never happened, instead the child was viciously cut out. He took another swig of the stinging liquid that burned down his throat and slammed down his cup. God, black coffee was gross. He thumbed through the pages of the hard copy of Noboru's medical reports. Their triplet had been to the hospital a few times, mostly from certain accidents, but his instincts were screaming that it was a cover up. Noboru was NOT clumsy, there was no way that a fourth of what was written down was actually Noboru's fault.

There was the sound of shifting cloth and bare feet against tiled floor. Looking up he found his twin walking into the kichen, sheets pulled around his body and trailing on the floor like robes. The linens shifted and draped around his crossed arms revealing his naked shoulders. Normally Kaoru would have looked very delectable if it wasn't for the sour expression on his face.

"You okay?" he asked pulling out a stool next to him so that Kaoru could sit with him at the large kitchen island.

The redhead shook his head taking his seat. He leaned his elbow on the counter and rested his chin in his palm allowing the sheets he wore to loosen and open up showing that he really was wearing nothing but linens. Hikaru reached over pulling the cloths into better positions so that if a maid walked in she wouldn't see what was already reserved for Noboru and himself.

"What's wrong?"

"Had that nightmare again with the old man," Kaoru ran his hand through his hair. It was really bothering him, he was shuddering when he first woke up and it took a good fifteen minutes to calm down enough to even sit up in bed.

"Again?"

"Yeah, but this time you weren't there. So it was even more freaky than the first time," he reached over taking the cup of coffee from in front of his brother to take a drink. He needed something strong in order to calm his rattled nerves.

Hikaru frowned deeply, Kaoru's body was shivering still. He's dedicated to memory what kind of shakes and shudders his brother displayed to know what kind of mood he was in, and this was not a good one. He really was frightened.

Kaoru placed down the empty cup, allowing Hikaru to get up to get some more, "I can't... help but think I've seen him before. I don't know where I have seen him but it's right at the tip of my tongue and I can't get it."

"Then maybe we should have a cat catch it," the older brother handed the hot cup of freshly made coffee to his younger, going back to the sink to make himself one.

"Cat," Kaoru gave a bitter smile. "Remember when Noboru said he wanted a black cat? He was so excited about it that he fell into the square's fountain."

"Then he splashed around as if he had meant to do it; the whole time talking about how he was still afraid of the closet monster and how a cat would keep ghosts away," Hikaru smiled fondly. "We should get him a black cat."

"That's it!"

"A cat?"

"No," Kaoru got up from his seat and rounded the island to his brother who was currently standing by the sink. "I remember where I've seen that old man in our dreams before."

"Seriously? But how does a conversation about ghosts and closet monsters spark your memory?"

"Because I was reading an American news paper for a report and there was an article of a murder. Hikaru that old man died a year ago!"

"Shit, first we loose Noboru and now we're being haunted?! Give me a break Kaoru, it's probably just some freaky coincidence."

"Either way, I think we should look into it."

"Well, currently the only thing I'm looking at is your naked behind," Hikaru couldn't help but laugh when Kaoru's face turned a shade of red that would put a tomato to shame. The younger twin was so excited that he had dropped his make shift robes.

To Be Continued... 


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: This fic is based off of the law of three. Where it is theorized that everything must exist in sets of three in order to exist. 

PS: These three elements are also theorized to be attracted to each other with out question.

And remember that "Half" is a japanese reference for someone who is only half japanese.

Note: If you would like to see some art of the triplets please go to my Deviant Art account. My handle is Hiso-chan. If you would like to make some art of them, please contact me. I love art.

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What It Maybe Like

Chapter 14

Ichabod was the name of an American styled tavern that sold beverages from across the seas. They were famous for their verity of beers and of course the meals that could be ordered with them. One of their most well known meals was called "toast on a post" that was simple a poached egg with lady fingered styled toast. The packet of seasonings that came with the meal could be, as one man put it, "sprinkled on burnt glass and it would taste heavenly". Noboru had come here daily, in fact he spent most of his time there after his separation from the twins. He silently wished and hoped day in and day out that they would walk through the door and have figured out his little riddle. But each day he would pass by the bar tender who would wish him luck the next day and all he could offer in return for the kind words was a small tip and a sad smile.

This day was different though. As Noboru walked down the street, research and laptop tucked away in a bag he held under his arm, he silently watched the rain more than where he was going since he had already memorized the way from his hotel room to the tavern. He was hoping to find Hikaru and Kaoru once again, but he was sure that he would spend an other night with out sleep with only the smell of cigarette smoke to accompany him once more. He was about to reach the tavern when the sounds someone running up to him came from behind. He had enough time to turn around when a heavy plastic sack smashed into his chest. His eyes grew wide with horror as he felt the soft warmth of small bodies being broken against him. Cries of pain screeched in his ears as the sack was wailed on him one, twice, three more times. He fell to the ground under the assault a screeching voice shrieking at him the whole time.

"HOW COULD YOU?! HOW COULD YOU?!"

Upon his knees he desperately grabbed the sack that cried and wailed. Ripping it out of the hands of the attacker he found the person dressed in Halloween robes complete with face screen giving them the look of the grim reaper. He thrust out his elbow catching the person in the thigh earning a scream before the person ran away quickly loosing themselves among the people that were trying to ignore what had just happened right in front of their eyes.

Noboru was still, the warmth of the bag becoming hot as red started to seep out of holes. He couldn't stay there, he had to move, he had to help them. Tearing open the bag he found little faces and bodies of fur, so tiny. He needed to find a...a...

"Noboru? Is that you No-chan?!"

That voice, that meant, he twisted around to find Honey and Mori standing nearly a block away. His eyes instantly moistened as they quickly made their way to him. Mori knelt down running his thumb over the blood that speckled his cheeks finding nothing underneath.

"No-chan, what happened to you?" Honey then saw the sack he was holding.

"Someone! Someone just came running up to me and started to... to..." he was having a hard time talking. Babies!! They were BABIES that were beaten against him!

Mori took hold of Noboru's shoulders and pulled him up to his feet, a black car was already waiting next to the sidewalk that he was quickly stuffed into, and the three of them where off.

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They ran, all of them ran as soon as they got the call from Honey that Noboru was found. They darted right out of class not caring what would be said to them later. Kyouya told them to keep in contact while he stayed behind and covered their tracks as to make sure they would not get into any serious trouble. They all stuffed themselves into the same car, Tamaki ordering the driver to go as fast as possible. The ride was tense. Hikaru and Kaoru clung onto each other wringing each others hands in worry, exchanging glances of worry. Honey didn't sound to happy over the phone.

When they got to the small building of destination Honey and Mori were outside. The elected to talk with Tamaki and Haruhi while the Hitachiin brothers ran inside to find their counter part. They nearly freaked out at the receptionist behind the desk when she didn't automatically let them go into the back room. But when they were allowed access on the soul term that they would calm down because that was a hospital of sorts, they hustled as calmly as they could. The different sounds coming from the back rooms started to make them wonder what could have happened. Why was Noboru at such a place?

Then they saw him. His leg still wrapped up and he was sporting shorts despite the recent cold weather, but the sweater he wore seemed loose and warm. His hands were currently inside a cage, his expression horribly pained. And they found that they couldn't move. He was there, right there and they couldn't believe it, or maybe it was shellshock. They watched Noboru pull out a small kitten, so tiny with only one eye open.

Noboru wiped his nose that was running despite the fact he was trying so hard not to cry his heart out. Four of the babies had died out of seven, and one would most likely die over night. Two of them didn't even have their eyes open yet, the one that would most likely be gone by morning was the one the was holding. He stroked the soft fur trying to smile and let the little one know that it was loved even though it had faced horrors so early on.

"I still can't believe it," the veterinarian growled under her breath. "What humans will do is just disgusting! Beating you with a bag full of kittens, it's sick!"

"I'm more surprised that you believe me," Noboru gave the kitten a kiss on the head and got a little meow in return. He gave a pained smile and placed the little guy back in with his brother and sister.

"The evidence if obvious. Have you called the police about this yet?"

"My friends said they have conta...cted..." He trailed off when he turned and saw his fellow triplets. Their wide eyes, startled expressions. He didn't... couldn't... He quickly turned and ran through the back door.

"Noboru!" Hikaru was hot on his heels.

"Wait!" Kaoru shoved open the door that opened to the back alley. 

He found Hikaru had grabbed a hold of Noboru's waist but Noboru was trying to fight him off. Kaoru hurried over and grabbed Noboru's wrists so that he was being restrained from behind and from in front. Now that he got a good look of the man, he looked horrible like death warmed over, freezer burned, then warmed over again.

"Noboru," he said as calmly as he could along with Hikaru. "Please... don't run again."

"I'm sorry," he bowed his head feeling pain well up inside. It hurt, all of this hurt. "I just... I can't handle..."

"The kittens, what we heard was that true? Did someone really just start beating you with a sack full of newborn kittens?" Hikaru asked not willing to let go any time soon now that he finally has his arms around his triplet again.

The redhead nodded.

"I'm gonna fucking gut who ever is doing this! I swear to god I'll make them pay," Hikaru turned Noboru around and kissed him on the forehead before looking sternly into matching color gaze. "And you're staying with us and if you run away again I'll kick your butt! You got that?"

"Y-yeah," Noboru nodded. It really was a stupid idea to have left them in the first place.

"Good," Kaoru then swatted their triplet over the back of the head. Noboru just rubbed the spot and leaned over wrapping and arm around the youngest's shoulders. He knew what that was for, he deserved a lot more than just a slap on the back of the head for what he did, but at least they understood why he had done it. Which is what he got when Kyouya got a hold of him that night. Kyouya really was the mother of the group, and everyone knows that you don't make an over protective mother upset over her babies or her husband (if you could call Tamaki that, position wise or not Noboru still didn't know how to classify the half). If anyone ever did vex said mommy you better hope you can run fast, real fast.

To Be Continued... 


	15. Chapter 15

I'm sorry about the last chapter and the graphic display of violence. I would like to say that people don't put kittens into plastic sacks and beat them against things, but I would be lying. I have lived in an area where someone had done just that and I had discovered the gruesome aftermath with my sister.

I apologize if you were offended, but offensive and disturbing things must be presented in order to convey the psychotic dealings of certain mentally disturbed individuals.

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What It Maybe Like

Chapter 15

No one could approach him even though he sat by the window by his lonesome. There was a welt on his cheek from the punch that Kyouya had dealt him soon as the two of them were by themselves. He understood the anger the man had, everything bad that had happened to the group was because of Noboru. It was the hateful glare that triggered something deep inside. A tiny voice clawing up from the dark recesses of his forgotten soul. It was quiet at first, but as the minutes ticked by it grew louder and louder. That look he got from glasses wearing teen, how many times had he received it before? It seemed like an endless number in his head but he could never remember faces or events. It ate and hissed at him with a wide grin like a beast from a fairy tail.

"Noboru?" Hikaru's voice entered the room that he was alone in. He didn't look over, but the shift in his posture said that he had heard him. "Everyone was hoping to have dinner together. You coming?"

Those eyes, filled with bitter hate. He didn't want to see them again, "I DON'T WANT ANY!"

The outburst of anger surprised both of them. Noboru placed his hand over his face as if holding his head would sort out his scattered thoughts. Why had he snapped? He was angry, very angry but he didn't know over what. He took a breath, calming himself down a bit. His head was starting to pound, "I don't want anything right now. Thank you."

"Why don't you sleep?" Hikaru came to his side, running long fingers through kitten soft hair. He mentally noted the softness was different from what Noboru's hair had felt like before all of this started to happen. He must have been using that conditioner that Kaoru gushed on about in one of their conversations when the three had first met.

"Rest..." Noboru closed his eyes, leaning his head against Hikaru's side, "Sounds nice."

---------

The next time Noboru woke up he was feeling better physically but something inside of him twisted and bit into his mind. He shifted on the bed's silken sheets to pull himself up onto his hands and knees. He paid no mind that he was currently sporting nothing but a blanket that was shifting off of his body as he leaned back his behind and stretched out his arms and torso low against the mattress in a very cat like manner. He then sat back on his legs and stretched some more before relaxing his stiff muscles just in time to find Kaoru coming into the room.

The youngest of the triplets froze soon as the door was shut behind him. The sweat shirt he wore was stuck to him in certain places along with matted hair showing he had been through a rigorous work out. His mouth went dry at the sight of the half lidded look he was getting. Noboru wasn't smiling, and his body was washed with the color from the gentle morning dawn's light. The white sheets pooling around him where they had slipped off. He looked... exotic.

Licking his lips as to not think to many dirty thoughts, Kaoru obverted his eyes, his hand coming up to run through his hair. "Good morning," he whispered more than spoke.

Noboru looked away, that hidden anger stirring even more. They didn't move for a moment, unusual silence engulfing them.

"Are you... okay?" Kaoru finally asked while walking up to the bed. He sat on the edge of the mattress with his back to the man. "I had over heard you yelling at Hikaru last night."

Silence.

"Look, we know-"

"What the hell do you know?!"

Kaoru twisted around to give Noboru a slightly offended look, but it melted away upon the expression of bared teeth and red faced anger as Noboru glared at the sheets below him. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it, there wasn't much to say. He had every right to be angry, the eldest of the redheads had tried for so long to be rational and put up the front that everything would be okay in the end. He needed this, to be able to vent finally and get rid of the pent up anxiety.

To be honest he was startled when Noboru continued to yell, Noboru had too kind of a voice to be yelling with such venom.

"My life is fucked up! I can barely remember anything but my earliest memory is someone shoving me to my knees and hitting my head against a tombstone! My Grandmother was run over by a speeding car, Grandfather was murdered! BOTH of them died in my ARMS! I leave only to have kittens beaten against my body because some sick FUCK thinks I did something to them. And then last night I find out that you hacked into my medical records and found out about Asato!"

"Asato,who-!!!"

Noboru grabbed Kaoru's arms and threw him down onto the bed onto his back. His hands were grabbed and pinned against the pillows. Those eyes glaring at him, Noboru should never have those kind of eyes.

"My baby," he hissed. "Kyouya told me how you found out about him. You just had to ask!"

"I asked about your scar but you never said anything about it!" Kaoru snapped back, if Noboru was going to be like this then he was not going to just roll with it.

"God damn it! How are you supposed to tell the ones that you love that you were once a girl, fucking raped by a Yankee's (female gangster) boyfriend and then beaten nearly to death only to come out with few memories and be told that the kid you were going to raise was dead?! DIED INSIDE YOU! Do you know what it's like to wake up and find that you're terrified of yourself because you're female?" Tears pearled and dropped down to the startled cheeks on Kaoru's face below.

Kaoru released his hand from Noboru's grip. Reaching up he pushed himself up enough to wrap his arm around Noboru's neck in an affectionate hug. It must have been terrifying. Waking up and being scared every minute of the day because of what you were. Now it made sense, all of it made sense now. Why Noboru was frightened of women, why the incident with the kittens had shook him so badly. He understood fully now why Noboru had left when he did. Yet he still tried to face it all, the best he could. Noboru really...

"Honestly," Kaoru's voice was a whisper in the man's ear. Any louder and he would have probably cried himself, "You're really an idiot." He rested back, shifting to hold Noboru's face between his palms, "You should have just told us from the start. It's not like Hikaru and I would run out on you if you had just told us from the beginning."

"Kaoru... I..."

The youngest's lips gently pressed against the oldest's. When they broke Noboru's cheeks were flushed not from anger this time but for a better reason, a more loveable reason. He looked to the side, his face still held by the Hitachiin's touch. "I'm sorry for my out burst. I didn't mean to throw you onto the bed... I didn't... hurt you... did I?"

Kaoru moved and then flipped the two of them so that he was straddling the man underneath him. He licked his lips, that look he had just received was the final cut in the cake and now he was going to have a piece and enjoy it for as long as possible. He took Noboru's hand and guided it so that it slid underneath his shirt and onto his burning skin underneath.

"I'm not hurt and as for your apology I'll show you just how much I forgive you," he bent down for another kiss.

--------------

Noboru winced as he sat up. Kaoru fast asleep next to him, naked body exposed to the day's sunlight. He grabbed the covers and pulled them over the slumbering boy, grimacing at the hikkies and bite marks that littered his arms. Sliding off of the bed, he nearly fell over from the protest his muscles had screamed at him. Maybe he should have slept a little longer. Nah, he rather live with the pain and be clean than relax and be dirty. Tentatively he slowly made his way to the private bathroom that was nearly big enough to play baseball in that the twins had. He turned the water on as hot as it could get with out burning his now tender skin. He let it run until the room was starting to fill with steam before moving underneath the spray. A hiss escaped his lips as he let the sting melt away into finally relaxing muscles.

The door to the bathroom opened, a naked Hikaru walked in shutting the door behind him. He had a white towel over his shoulder that he tossed to the side. He paused at the sight of Noboru leaning his hands against the tiled wall, head bowed with the roaring shower raining down upon him.

"Jesus!" Hikaru looked Noboru up and down as he came closer, "The hell happen to you?"

Noboru looked up at the older Hitachiin, "Kaoru's kinky. You should have warned me."

Now to say that a wet man of Noboru's sex appeal was hot was like saying that the burning inferno of hell was a candle. Hikaru's lips pulled into a feral smirk as he moved closer, taking Noboru's wrist. With a few steps he had the older man against the wall, pinned there with his body. He licked water off of the neck that was speckled with evidence of love making.

"Probably because I'm the seme of the group."

"Oh hell no!" Noboru grabbed Hikaru, locking his foot behind the Hitachiin's ankle and shoved back. The redhead gave a startled yelp but was caught in strong arms before he could collide with the floor. He was then lowered down gently and pinned. A very feline looking Noboru leaned down, "I'm not going to be the submissive twice in one day."

To Be Continued... 


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: This fic is based off of the law of three. Where it is theorized that everything must exist in sets of three in order to exist.

PS: These three elements are also theorized to be attracted to each other with out question.

And remember that "Half" is a japanese reference for someone who is only half japanese.

Note: Sorry that it's been a while since my last update, but I did move and only have recently got an internet connection back. Thank you for your patience.

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What It Maybe Like

Chapter 16

The rain drizzled down the leafs of the trees, falling down in large drops mixing with dirt creating thick mud. Hazel eyes seemed golden in the darkness, intense while two bodies huddled behind the tree across from him. One covered their mouth trying to keep their breath from making sounds as they hyperventilate through their nostrils. The other clung desperately to the other as their bodies shook from fear and shivered from the cold.

Noboru held his shoulder as an old pain started working through his chest and down to the tips of his fingers. He scanned the area, slowly, taking in everything before falling upon the others. Their thin bodies were frail, and their large eyes were filled with terror. He sat back against the tree he was taking cover behind, falling onto his bottom and getting off of his feet that were covered with mud. He couldn't be scared, not anymore. Haruhi and Hanako needed him to be strong, needed him to think all of this through. He was the only one that could. Haruhi was a smart girl, very analytical but from what they had experienced before it was understandable why she was shaken and unable to think as clearly as they needed. Hanako was your typical girl that was of the mall-rat breed. This kind of hell was not something they give out a broacher for when you pass by a jewelry shop. But what had happened to them wasn't the frightening part for him; what truly set fear into his bones was the fact that he was so calm. He could think so clearly, everything was in perfect order. It was as if his body was remembering something that his brain didn't, and for him, that was the most terrifying thing of all. Who the hell was he before he was Noboru?

The clicking was loud, a muzzle was pressed against his forehead indicating that it had been recently fired. The women froze, gasps sticking in their throats.

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3 days ago

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"Are you Nekomata Sontaku?" Kyouya adjusted his glasses as he gazed at the man of mid-twenties.

"What if I am?" Sontaku scoffed with his jaw thrust out.

The silent teenager scanned the man up and down. The eldest Nekomata son had the slender build of a track runner; his shoes were tattered from being constantly worn. A button up shirt was tied around his waist, the sleeves threaded through two of the belt loops of his jean pants as he sported no shirt despite the fact that fall months were settling in. His short hair was average, and so was the black color that matched his traditional Japanese eyes.

"I have a questions to ask you, that is if you have the time for them."

The man eyed him as if deciding if it was worth his while or just a waist of time; perhaps he was even trying to identify the rich boy and deducing if it was worth his time. He then gave a nod and took off the work gloves that sheltered his hands from the plants in the hot-house nursery that they were in. "What do you want to know?" He gestured for his knew guest to follow him deeper into what looked like a tame jungle.

"I believe we both know of a man named Mutoh Noboru. I would like to ask-"

"That freak ain't no man! And if you're just going to talk about that thing then just get the hell out!!"

Kyouya's eyes hardened as he narrowed them. Sure Noboru was once a woman, but that was no reason to fly off the handle like that, "I think it would be in your best interest to elaborate."

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"Hanako…" Noboru's voice was faint as if he was in a far away place when in fact he was right there back in his home town with the hyper teenager glued to him. He looked rather ill as she nearly popped his eardrums with her rambling voice. And considering he hadn't passed out yet, he was really improving with his phobia of women. Then again he tried to get her away from him earlier by showing public displays of affection for his triplets, even told a few people that it was a solid relationship in front of her, but that didn't faze her. Not at all, if nothing else it seemed to fuel her more greatly than before for some rather creepy reason.

"Can I have my boyfriend back?" Kaoru tried his best not to make his voice sound like a jealous hiss but he really, really, REALLY hated anyone else touching Noboru besides Hikaru. He blamed that on that protective streak he developed when they had first met Noboru.

"Oh," she pouted out her red glossy lip. "But he just came home and you got to spend so much time with him. Did you dress him?"

That was rather out of the blue, but by the way she was fingering the black short jacket that was over the long bodied white shirt and matched Noboru's pants, he had to admit that he did do a good job on dressing his counter part. Noboru could be so picky when it came to clothing. He hated everything that was in fashion, said it all was uncomfortable and that most of it was hideous. Though he had to agree that plad pants were kind of… "nasty" as Noboru put it.

"You really do look very handsome Noboru," Hanako looked up with her dark eyes with an emotion that Noboru never really could identify. She touched the scar on his face as he looked past her and out the large windows of the restaurant he used to work in. Pretending she wasn't even there was hard to do, but at least it helped with not passing… He grabbed her wrist and shot to his feet.

Hanako looked up and froze, those eyes. She's never seen Noboru with the look of… a seasoned killer. She felt her breath stick in her throat, her lungs trying to pull air in and out but to no avail. He looked down at her, his eyes… their color were more golden now. "Be a good girl and stay put," he let go of her wrist and started to slowly walk out of the restaurant. When he reached the door he paused, not turning back to look at them, "Hikaru, Kaoru."

The twins where feeling uneasy as well. The only time that anyone had seen him look even remotely close to this was when he finally had enough and snapped at them. Him just suddenly acting like this, what would trigger… Hikaru glanced around, finding a woman standing across the street. Her dark colored gown was split up one side to the top of her hip showing her long legs and the rose printed lace one her stockings. Her arms where folded and her hair was placed up in twists and curls. She looked directly at him, the smile on her face disturbing with arrogance and knowledge.

"Noboru," Hikaru held a warning tone in his voice.

He took a deep breath, loosening his body. Turning around he shouted out, "Hey chef!"

A tall burly man that looked more like a walking mountain came from out back. Hikaru felt Kaoru move behind him, to be truthful he was a little scared of the guy himself, it was a wonder he was able to fit through the door with out breaking through.

"What's up No-chan?"

"Time to replay one of those favors."

The chef looked out the window seeing the woman and frowned deeply. It would seem that no matter how hard they had tried, the village couldn't protect Noboru. Time, time was up for them all. They couldn't hold on to sweet little No-chan anymore, it was time for him to go back to his past. Time for him to remember. The chef took a large hand and rubbed at his chin trying to pretend that he did not know what the kid was saying.

"What'cha need kid?"

"Keep them inside… no matter what."

He nodded, feeling the exact same way inside as the three "children" showed outside. Panic. This wasn't good, the result would end in loosing something dear… possibly forever. But for what Noboru had done for all of them, for all of the village, for people who all hold dark secrets… he had brought them a ray of light. And as Noboru smiled and walked out of the door, flipping the lock in place behind him the head chef now knew that it was time for the past to repeat itself, but maybe. Just maybe, this time, with these people here that were shouting and trying to get past him to help Noboru; the ending result will not be the same as last.

"I see you're finally coming back to us," the woman smirked at Noboru as he stood out in the cold wind with her. She held up her hand, hand holding metal; her finger wrapped around the trigger of the pistil. Her aim was focused between his eyes as his grin softened and fell to just a simple cocky smile.

She frowned deeply, "I always hated that smile of yours, 'No-chan'."

The sound of the gun fire was thunderous, matching the grim looking sky over head that grew darker by the moment.

To Be Continued…


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: This fic is based off of the law of three. Where it is theorized that everything must exist in sets of three in order to exist.

PS: These three elements are also theorized to be attracted to each other with out question.

And remember that "Half" is a japanese reference for someone who is only half japanese.

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What It Maybe Like

Chapter 17

Noboru didn't blink when the bullet whizzed past his temple, the heat of the tiny piece of flying metal causing a small burn when it touched his skin. It imbedded into the doorframe that he was standing next to. He licked the pad of his thumb and rubbed a thin layer of saliva over the tiny burn. His eyes dropped to half lidded, the thick eyeliner he had on and pale makeup adding to his gothic look.

The woman snorted, "I see… you're starting to remember. When did that happen?"

"Last night," Noboru held out his hand to her as if offering something. "I was watching my lovers sleep when I recalled something rather interesting when I saw something on Hikaru's body. That's when it hit me."

The woman's frown turned into a scowl, "He has a birthmark?"

"No, but the bruise I gave him looked like the one on her. You know, you're last victim. Grandma Mutoh." Noboru folded his arms as he began to walk in a slow pace, ignoring the shouts that he could hear from within the restaurant, "She was getting too close to the truth, what really was going on with me. Why the Nekomata hate me so much, and why Grandpa was so insistent to take me in. You couldn't have that so you had to get rid of her by arranging for her death, but it wasn't the car that was the problem. No, Grandma could move to fast, so you had to do something else first."

At this time Tamaki and Haruhi had heard the gunshot coming from the direction where their friends had said they were going to stay and wait for the rest of them to come to meet them. They had ran hard and fast, meeting up with Mori and Hunny. The four of them came to a halt when they heard Noboru's voice. Not sure what was going on, they decided to stay their ground until a little light was shed on the situation.

"You had decided to inject her with an overdose of drugs to make her slow down, so that she WOULD get hit by that car. Of course old man Mutoh would notice the injection site with in a blink of an eye; he was, after all, your best-retired medical hand. So you had to make sure it would be in a spot that would be hard to locate," he held up his hand in a gun gesture towards her, "and there you went, bam, right into the birthmark. But you don't like to leave jobs unfinished so you hung around to watch her die; that was your first mistake."

The woman pushed up her glasses, "I'm amazed that you remember as much as you do. Coming to gloat while Mutoh was being murdered?"

"Actually, it was threatening them."

"THEM?!" She screeched firing her pistol once more. This time Noboru suddenly ducked down into a crouch, the bullet wedging itself into the old mortar of the brick building he had walked in front of. "I gave you everything! EVERYTHING!! I made it so you could have your baby but you were such an ungrateful BITCH that I had to punish you! But Mutoh and her damn husband had to interfere and take you away from me! They had changed you into that hideous boy and took your memory from me!!"

"I was never yours you crazy HOE! I only worked for you, and then you decided to fuck everything up!"

The woman froze and dropped her gun and held out her hands while she tried to approach Noboru, "No no, don't be like that sweetie. You know everything I did was for you. Don't you?"

"You forced me to kill! Grandma had gotten to old for your uses so you got rid of her and found me in America to replace her, you even killed everyone in order to keep them quiet! They didn't steal away NOTHING! You're just a psycho that I tried to break free from." Noboru suddenly flicked his wrist, a small knife slid down from his sleeve and into his palm where he gripped it tightly, "And now it's time to get rid of you."

"Noboru, DON'T!!" Arms wrapped around him, keeping him from lunging forward.

Gritting his teeth he looked over his shoulder, dark eyes shone with tears, "You don't have to do this anymore. You don't have to kill anymore, she's only trying to get you back. She's aiming to wrap you around her finger again like she did with Manteru!!"

"Hanako! What the HELL ARE YOU DOING OUT HERE?! Let go before-"

There was a shot that rang out, red exploded into the air as pieces of meat and cloth was ripped from Noboru's leg. Strange gray eyes smiled at him as the new comer held the burning muzzle of his gun to Noboru's thigh. With in an instant, Noboru's knife shot forward and dug into ribs and he twisted. Forcing the man to kick back. Noboru scrambled to his feet and shouted out, "Everyone, scramble!" When no one moved he barked out the demanding order, "NOW! This has just become a human hunt!"

To Be Continued…


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: This fic is based off of the law of three. Where it is theorized that everything must exist in sets of three in order to exist.

PS: These three elements are also theorized to be attracted to each other with out question.

And remember that "Half" is a japanese reference for someone who is only half japanese.

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What It Maybe Like

Chapter 18

When the second gun shot rang through the town Kyouya had been on the other side, far from where the sound could carry. Sontaku, had finally started to tell the glasses wearing mother of the group what was really going on with the town.

"This town is as fucked up as that freak," the man lit a cigarette soon as he was out of the green house. "Most of the majority of people here work for the 'McDuffy' family."

"McDuffy?" Kyouya couldn't mentally place this name, yet it did sound familiar.

"They originated from Scotland, moved to England, spread through out Europe and dipped their fingers in everything from banks to fashion industries and local bakeries. They're not exactly as you would put it 'a power house' but they work a lot of stuff from behind the scenes. Once the old man of the main family died, his third youngest daughter grabbed her boyfriend and decided it would be cool to move to Japan. They came here and found out that everyone had a dirty little secret and so they took control by blackmail, it wasn't hard considering every human being needs to keep something secret. Some where along the lines of them taking over power they got the bright idea of training people to go into certain 'services'."

"What kind of services?"

The man took a long drag from his cigarette before continuing, "Hit for higher. They would find someone who would want someone dead and then send someone out to kill them. Old lady Mutoh was their best person, no one expected that an old lady with a hump on her back could pull a piano wire around your neck or stab you in an artery. But with in about ten years she got too old for the job and retired on the money she had earned. Her husband was still on the job though, he wasn't a hit-man but he was the best damn doctor around. Hell, it was him that was able to operate on 'Stray Cat' or as you would know him, Noboru, in the middle of the street and patch him up to the point that he could actually have a working brain after that nice little skull was beaten in."

"I take it that 'stray cat' was Noboru's cover name."

"Right," the man flicked the ashes from his cigarette feeling the first of the raindrops starting to fall down from the heavens. "We only knew Noboru as Stray Cat for the longest time. She had the sweetest of smiles and tried hard to please, she would do anything for people she deemed to be a good person. It was because of her that my brother, Manteru, was freed from his job as old lady Mutoh's replacement. But unfortunately by then Manteru was already screwed up in the head so badly that we had to move him to a different country in order to stay stable and not start stabbing whatever breathed.

"I'm skipping ahead. Umm… yeah, Stray Cat was fucked up from the beginning. She had been molested as a kid from a half brother, no one paid attention to her, people would die around her; friends, family. But she never had killed them. The big ass boss lady made sure to plant her seed of insanity early by blaming all of the deaths through accidents and illness on Stray Cat. Being a kid at the time it really messed with her mind, but what was really creepy was how she was never trained to take old lady Mutoh's place."

Kyouya looked up at the sky, trying to take all of this is, "How do you mean?"

"Dude!" Sontaku threw his burnt out cigarette on the ground and stepped on it, "She killed naturally! She was precise and lethal! It took the boss lady way to much effort to take Stray Cat down."

"Then why isn't Noboru dead?"

"Don't you GET it?! Noboru is the boss lady's little sister! They're related! Boss lady hates Noboru with a passion because their father on his death bed told them to look out for Stray Cat because she got scared easily."

"Wait, wait," Kyouya turned to face the man. "Are you telling me that all of this; people dying, people being threatened and injured, is all because a psychotic sister is jealous over her neglected younger sister who was only mentioned on someone's death bed?"

"Finally, NOW you get it."

"How do you know all of this?"

"I'm the intelligence of the town, I know everything. I even know what Nobaru and the twins did last night and how many times and in what positions. I can even tell you what YOU did last night, what you ate, hell even how much soap you used when you took a bath."

"I suggest that you keep your powers of observation a secret."

"No use in threatening me," the man turned and started to go back into his green house. "After today… this town is going to be filled with ghosts."

"What do you mean by that?"

The door shut behind Sontaku and locked.

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Noboru was petting the sweat-matted hair away from Kaoru's face. Everyone had ran soon as that crazed man just suddenly started running at people with his gun waving in the air. Noboru had somehow gotten separated from Hanako and wound up somewhere near the dojo. Kaoru had stumbled out of the bushes on the opposite end of the clearing, gasping for air. Noboru had quickly looked his precious triplet over for injuries but only found that he was in shock from everything happening. It was understandable.

"Kaoru, you okay?" he asked sweetly, not minding that his lover had fallen to his knees and causing Noboru to squat down to try to keep eye contact. "You okay?"

"Hikaru, where's Hikaru?"

"I'll find him, but I need you to do something for me Kaoru. I need you to go into the forest, he can't maneuver there."

"I'M NOT LEAVING YOU!"

"KAORU!" Noboru have him a hard shake, "There is a small cabin a few miles in, a tap door is in the first wall you see when you open the back door. I want you to hid there. If you come with me then he could use you against me. And I swear to GOD if you or Hikaru bleed I will kill him, that woman, and myself for bringing you this misfortune!"

Kaoru grabbed a hold of Noboru's coat, "Don't you dare! If we were to loose you, then… then…"

Noboru leaned down and sealed his lips with Kaoru's, he pulled the younger's body against him tightly while pulling him back up onto his feet. When he broke the kiss he started to run off with a shouted, "I guarantee you that Hikaru will be hiding with you with in the hour!"

The youngest triplet cursed under his breath and started to head for the woods.

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Tamaki held onto Haruhi and Hanako while Mori and Hunny kept an eye out. They had found a green house, the thick jungle like foliage hiding them well. This was getting crazy, all they wanted to know was why people were after Noboru, but now they were in over their heads. Kyouya had tried to tell him as best as he could what had been going on; what he had found out from Sontaku, but when they were so panicked and blurted out in not so many words that they were hunted down he forced his way into the green house with them. He was currently crouched on the other side of the girls, his instincts to protect the weak and feminine kicking in. They had tried to tell Sontaku what was going on but he only ignored them and continued his way around, taking care of the plants.

Heavy footfalls creaked the boards. The group froze, their breathing coming in shallow. The long placements of the heavy boots seemed to echo left and right.

"Sontaku," the honey like voice cooed.

"It's him," Hunny mouthed to the rest of the group.

"Hey Dustin, how's Emily?"

"She's as beautiful and healthy as ever," he rubbed his hand over his shaved head.

"And you?"

"Just a nasty scratch from a rabid stray," he held up his other hand showing the glistening red. "You see any of the stray's friends? They seem to be infesting the streets."

Kyouya tensed, this guy was not one to care for others. He would sell them out with in a second. He had to think of a way to get out of there with everyone alive, what kind of strategy could he think up in a few stressful seconds.

"Nope, I heard that they ran out of the city. Possibly gathering together more vermin to come in a nasty wave."

"Sontaku, you know I love you right?"

"I am your best informant."

Dustin covered the man's mouth and twisted his neck with a sickening snap, "Not anymore." He held onto just Sontaku's face as he watched him suffocate, "I hate it when people lie to me. You know that. And here you just had to get on my bad side. Why would you do that? I got it, it was that damn witch that told you to do this wasn't it? Stray Cat put a spell on you, but don't you worry, I saved you. You'll be just fine now."

Then, as if he had not just killed someone, as if he had never touched the man, he tossed the dead body to the side like and unwanted piece of paper. Kyouya had to cover Hanako's mouth to prevent her scream from being heard as the automatic sprinklers turned on. Taking the cue to leave, as the crazed man started to curse and swat at the high up sprinkler system, they started to shuffle out as quietly as they possibly could. A small hatch in the back was barely big enough for Mori to slip through. Once they were all out into the ally they looked around making sure that they were all accounted for. Silent tears slid down Hanako's eyes as she held her hands over her mouth trying not to make a sound. Before they could move they jumped when Noboru seemed to appear next to them.

"You guys need to be more vigilant if you want to survive," he whispered under his breath.

Hanako's arms suddenly wrapped around him and she buried her face against his chest. Looking from face to face, and the paleness that their skin held he could only guess. He gave them a nod for them to follow him. If they were lucky then he could get them all out of there and into the safe house. But then again, a stray cat never does have much luck.

To Be Continued…


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: This fic is based off of the law of three. Where it is theorized that everything must exist in sets of three in order to exist.

PS: These three elements are also theorized to be attracted to each other with out question.

And remember that "Half" is a japanese reference for someone who is only half japanese.

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What It Maybe Like

Chapter 19

It happened fast, the group getting into the woods. Gunshots, people running around in the confusion. But at least Noboru had been able to tell them where to go if they were separated. Noboru had ended up running with two girls tucked firmly underneath his arms. He had ran as fast as he could, the pain from his leg was dead and he could only feel the pounding of his heart. He had jumped over a log and slid down a hillside. Haruhi and Hanako held onto him as he moved as fast as the wind, the adrenalin pumping through his veins. When his lungs felt like they were about to burst he slipped on a thick patch of mud, the two girls fell from his tired arms, they scrambled up to their feet and hit behind a tree as he did the same. The rain coming down stung in Noboru's wound as it washed away dirt and sweat from the rest of him.

The rain drizzled down the leafs of the trees, falling down in large drops mixing with dirt creating thick mud. Hazel eyes seemed golden in the darkness, intense while two bodies huddled behind the tree across from him. One covered their mouth trying to keep their breath from making sounds as they hyperventilate through their nostrils. The other clung desperately to the other as their bodies shook from fear and shivered from the cold.

Noboru held his shoulder as an old pain started working through his chest and down to the tips of his fingers. He scanned the area, slowly, taking in everything before falling upon the others. Their thin bodies were frail, and their large eyes were filled with terror. He sat back against the tree he was taking cover behind, falling onto his bottom and getting off of his feet that were covered with mud. He couldn't be scared, not anymore. Haruhi and Hanako needed him to be strong, needed him to think all of this through. He was the only one that could. Haruhi was a smart girl, very analytical but from what they had experienced before it was understandable why she was shaken and unable to think as clearly as they needed. Hanako was your typical girl that was of the mall-rat breed. This kind of hell was not something they give out a broacher for when you pass by a jewelry shop. But what had happened to them wasn't the frightening part for him; what truly set fear into his bones was the fact that he was so calm. He could think so clearly, everything was in perfect order. It was as if his body was remembering something that his brain didn't, and for him, that was the most terrifying thing of all.

Who the hell was he before he was Noboru? He still didn't know that much. All he knew was what his body was trained to do and a few memories of before. He didn't know his pervious identity, but did that really matter? Everyone knew Noboru, he was no one else. He was the one that was currently trying to put an end to the grizzly affairs at hand, and he had to do it. Not for them, not for him, but for everyone in the world. The people hunting them were loose cannons, they would kill just for the thrill of it. They were sick and twisted, they were unstable and by the way it looked they had always been.

The clicking was loud, a muzzle was pressed against his forehead indicating that it had been recently fired. The women froze, gasps sticking in their throats.

Before the person could fire, Noboru moved his face to the side, thrust up and bit into the person's wrist. Blood welled up into his mouth as the person jerked from the sudden pain. With the small knife he had stuck in his sleeve earlier, he quickly pulled it up, but before he could plunge it into the man's neck there was the sound of a grunt from a woman and the sound of something cracking over bone. The redhead let go of the man's wrist and looked up, spitting out the blood that was in his mouth to the side when he saw Haruhi lower a thick branch she had found.

"No one else is going to die today," she said sternly.

Noboru nodded as he struggled up to his feet, Hanako coming to his side to support him, "You're right." He wiped his dirtied sleeve over his mouth looking down at the girls, they were a lot stronger than he gave them credit for. Then he noticed the thick straps of something.

"Hanako… you still have your purse?"

She blushed not noticing that she had been clutching onto it with a white knuckled grip, "I… I, uh…"

"Can I get it from you?"

"S-sure."

She handed it to him with quivering hands. Noboru took his knife and cut the straps, it took a moment due to how thick they were. Once they were cut free he tied Dustin's hands with them, making the knots as complicated as he could make them. With a grunt, he managed to pull the man up over his shoulder. Looking around he found a decent height tree branch and slid the man's tied wrists over it. When he was done he started walking away as if he had done nothing at all, just leaving the unconscious man hanging by his arms, unconscious in the middle of the rain filled forest. The two brunets were quick to follow him.

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Kaoru was nearly floored by his twin. His anxieties wade as he held onto that familiar body that told him that everything would be just fine. The loving arms of his friends switched from one person to the next, hugging as they all gave sighs of relief to see one an other. But all of their celibately relief was dashed when they realized that three people were not with them yet. Two very important, and the other a new friend. They had started gathering together their thoughts, whispering in a huddled up group in their safe spot. They needed to figure out how to get outside and face what could possibly get in their way. Kyouya had phoned his private police by considering how remote they were they had a while to wait. Their voices held when they started to hear soft footsteps. The careful placement of them read into how it was not one of the people they were waiting for.

"Where, oh where could me little doggies be" that woman's voice started singing. Mori and Hunny positioned themselves at the entrance of the secret door, ready to set an assault if she got to close.

Something scratched across the walls, something solid and heavy from the sound.

She gave a sigh as she continued to talk to herself, "You know, No-chan had to taught so many lessons. Like the meaning of that nickname, she doesn't exist, she's 'no'body." Whatever was against the wall tapped on a beam next to Hunny, "I had to wake her up, you know how much she likes cats, those disgusting little freaks of nature. I had to show her that they were bad for her, and I had tell her that she couldn't just leave me, after all we are sisters."

Kaoru had to hold onto Hikaru's shoulders, holding him still as angry started to twist in face into an expression of hatred. If they were sisters they should be close to one an other, they should have braided each other's hair and talked about what boys they liked, not this. Not have one torture the other just because she felt like it!

"But she is precious isn't she? Still so innocent even after taking lives. She couldn't even struggle against a bunch of yankee's and their boyfriends. I had to teach her that she couldn't just live in our world with out fighting back," then Emily punched the wall causing dust to sprinkle down onto Tamaki's head. "Then that BITCH decided that she couldn't do anything, after all I did for HER! She wanted to keep that little freak inside of her, so I had to get rid of that and teach her another lesson. But I do admit, I was a little harsh on her." She gave a chuckle, "I mean, they did have to put some screw in her skull for a while. But hey, what are you gonna do?"

The secret door burst open, but it wasn't Hikaru who had broken it open, it was Tamaki. His blue eyes were hard and cold. Never did he think he could hate someone so much, never in his life did he think he could glare at a woman with so much discontent. He wasn't sure what he was going to do, but he couldn't let someone this… this evil get away with any of this!

"There you are little doggie," Emily's smile twisted across her face as she held up a large knife.

Running forward she thrust the knife out in front of her in a mad slash. She gave a cry when Hunny's fingers landed in the pressure point in her wrist with a forceful jab. The knife clattered to the floor, Kaoru picking it up quickly as he scrambled out of the hiding place. Before the woman could react to Hunny's sudden assault, Mori's hand was to the back of her neck, striking precisely with enough pressure to knock her out. Her eyes started to roll back, her hand grabbing for anything to hold onto. Her fists clutched onto a wet shirt as a pain suddenly shot through her chest. He reached up with her other hand, touching the warmth that oozed out of the wound in her sternum. When did she get so close to someone? When did Noboru get there?

"Noboru," she whispered as breathing started to become a chore. She started to touch Kaoru's face in tender petting motions, not understanding why her little 'sister' would look so shocked. Didn't Noboru want to kill her? Was Noboru supposed to be the one to finally release her from this hell of a life that she had built for herself so early on? "Don't look that way No-chan. I'm going to become an angel, because of you my little stray cat." Her eyes slid shut, it was getting hard to keep up, her knees were buckling under her weight, "my…. Little… kitty… c…….at……"

She slid down Kaoru's chest, the trail of red smeared down his chest as his eyes, wide in horror, watched her crumple to the floor. He couldn't breath, he couldn't think. He had just killed someone; all he wanted to do was get the knife away, why did she have to fall against him? Why did he have to hold onto the knife? Why-

Hands covered his eyes as he let out a scream. His face was buried into the loving scent that was nothing but Noboru. The sound of being shushed calmed his racing heart as he let out a broken sob.

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Six Years Later

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"God damn it!! I'm telling you that the coding is WRONG!!" Noboru shouted into the phone as he held onto a dark haired child of the age of four on his hip. He looked at the little girl and whispered, "And don't you repeat those words, Aika."

The girl only giggled insanely while squirming to be let down. He put her down and grimiest as the child ran screaming from the large office, "Daddy! Daddy! Guess what Papa said!!"

"I hate kids," Noboru grunted as Hikaru chuckled at the desk that Noboru was leaning against.

"Then you should have told Grandpa Mutoh not to have saved some of your eggs."

"You shouldn't have suggested the whole kid thing in the first place," Noboru hissed. "Now look at me, I'm… I'm domestic!" then he turned his attention back to the phone, "I said the god damn coding is wrong!! You need to do it again?! Who the hell do you have working over there; under paid pachyderms?!"

"Good thing I decided on the fashion industry."

"Shut it or I'll make you cry tonight."

Hikaru wiggled his eyebrows as he looked over the rims of his reading glasses, "I'm looking forward to that."

Suddenly Kaoru came into the room, holding the hand of their little girl and was being fallowed by the bright redheaded son, "What did I tell you about language?"

"It's her fault for," he turned back to the cell phone. "Do I need to go down there and set the place on fire to get you working?! Just do what I ask!"

Kaoru grabbed the phone and hung it up, "And I told you no work at home."

"You say the funniest things," he gave Kaoru a sweet kiss actually quite grateful to be off the phone. "You're just lucky I know computer and software nonsense while you are on maternal leave. Which brings to mind; why ARE you on maternal leave?"

"Because it's going to be my kid born next, Hikaru already has two to his name."

"You know, we're just hella lucky that Hanako and Haruhi agreed to lend us their wombs… even though Tamaki did throw a fit at first."

"I thought you said you don't like kids," Hikaru was trying hard not to laugh at the expression that Noboru was currently wearing.

Noboru leaned over the desk and kissed his lover, pulling on his tie a little too tightly, "I don't, but I refuse to dislike my own offspring." He turned around and stooped low for the small boy, "right love muffin?"

The boy's eyes sparkled as he planted a kiss on his father's lips and nearly killed him by hugging Noboru's neck a little too hard. But then again that was what the former waiter loved about his son the most, he was enthusiastic when it came to affection. He gave a sigh, closing his eyes and holding his son tightly. It seemed almost yesterday when Emily had been accidentally killed, all of those long months of Kaoru going to therapy in order to realize that it was not his fault. It took so much work to make sure the press did not get wind of anything that could ruin the good names of the members of the host club. They had all worked hard for where they got, finding that their tight knit group was tighter than ever because of what had happened. Noboru still couldn't remember most of his life, but he didn't care, it was behind him. He was no longer a killer, nor a woman who had been abused, he was Noboru Hitachiin now. He had two lovely kids and a third was currently growing in Haruhi's belly. They were taking care of her while they waited and they didn't mind it when Haruhi's father came over and played with the kids and convinced them to cross dress. They looked forward to Tamaki and Kyouya visiting and Hunny and Mori stopping by for a few weeks vacation to hang out with the kids, bringing over their own little ones. It seemed as if everything was as it should be. No one had any frightening dreams anymore, no one was frightened to be alone. No thoughts of someone suddenly coming out of nowhere. It was as if everything had been set into the perpetual motion of bliss. And for Noboru, he was going to keep it that way, and he knew that the rest of their happy family; Haruhi, Mori, Tamaki, Kyouya, Hunny, Kaoru, and Hikaru would fight just as hard.

"Kitty!" Aika squealed as she ran after a skittering cat.

"Hey! Leave Lucky alone! You know he doesn't need to be harassed after what he had to go through as a kitten!" Noboru scurried after his child. They had taken in the surviving kittens from the assault, they had figured that the cats needed to be with someone that understood them and their position, and funny enough, they were great guards for the family.

Yeah, everything was as it should be. A loving family, a life fully of good friends and pets; this was what they deserved after everything that had happened. And nothing could change that.

The End.


End file.
